Wonderful Life
by Celtic Jingle
Summary: Why must Legolas and Haldir be prevented from becoming lovers, at all costs?
1. Lies

Title: For Your Eyes Only, Part I  
  
Author: CJ (missyjames@hotmail.com)  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: All unfamiliar characters and places belong to me, the rest belongs to Tolkien.  
  
Summary: Legolas tries to comfort his friends, who are struggling with their feelings after Gandalf's death. Then Haldir takes Legolas on a tour through Lothlorien and Legolas must struggle with his own feelings.  
  
Author's Notes: This story was inspired by the song Wonderful Life, sung by Mathilde Santing and various LotR stories by some wonderful authors. You know who they are. I've no beta, so please don't mind the bad spelling or grammar.  
__________________________________________________________________________ ~Lothlorien~  
  
The last sentence of the lament for Gandalf died in the air, as seven of the remaining eight members of the Fellowship laid themselves to rest. Their eighth member was sitting a short distance away, singing a lament of his own. After only a short time, the comforting surroundings of the Golden Wood lulled the members of the Fellowship to sleep, but one remained awake. Aragorn raised his head from his pillow to stare at his elven companion, who had his back turned to him. "Will you be alright?" he asked in Elvish. Legolas stopped singing and smiled at him over his shoulder. "Yes, you need not worry," he said, then continued his song.  
  
But Aragorn did worry. He could never understand what Legolas felt, no matter how hard he tried. Even though he had been brought up by them, Elves were still a mystery to him. Whenever he thought he had them figured out, they went and did something completely unexpected. No matter how much time he spent among them, they always seemed alien to the Man. But that was probably because the Elves did not belong to this world, Aragorn thought. The Elves, with their fair faces and voices, would soon leave Arda and return to their homeland, leaving the world empty and ugly, in Aragorn's eyes. The World needed the Elves, but they were not meant to stay.  
  
Some races would be glad to see the Elves go. The Dwarves, for instance, hated the Elves with a passion and would not shed a tear if not a single Elf was left on the face of Arda. And even some Men wanted the Elves gone. Men feared what they did not know, could control, or change. They could never know the Elves, nor could they control them, nor could they change them. If the Elves would leave, the world of Men would once again rule all.  
And that was what Aragorn feared most: that Men would come to rule over all of Arda. He had seen the cruelty of Men and though he knew there was much good to be found among his own kind, he knew there was not a race that was so cruel as the race of Men. Boromir had told him that sometimes wild men would raid Gondor, slaying and burning everyone and everything they came across. Men killed other men, sometimes out of sheer bloodlust or out of their ambition to dominate all. There were no such things among Elves, not anymore. The Elves had made mistakes, but unlike Men they had learned from them and had not made the same mistakes again.  
  
"Mankind does not learn from its mistakes," Aragorn whispered softly.  
  
"You live too short for that," said another voice. Legolas sat beside him, one elbow resting on his knee, as his hand supported his chin. "If you lived longer, you would find the wisdom to see your mistakes and not make them again," the Elf said. Aragorn pulled the blanket up to his chin. "There is no wisdom in the world of Men," he said somberly. He yelped in surprise when the pillow was pulled from underneath his head, then was used to whack him on the head. Aragorn sat up angrily. "What was that for?" he asked.  
  
Legolas waved the pillow in front of him threateningly, ready to whack him with it again. "For being stupid," the Elf said, a teasing twinkle in his eyes. "There is indeed no wisdom in the world of Men, if you think what you said is true. Look at yourself, Aragorn. You are a Man, yet there is great wisdom to be found in you." Aragorn snorted. "That 'wisdom' is what caused Mithrandir to die," he said. He was whacked on the head again. "Legolas, stop that!" he snapped.  
  
"I will not," Legolas said.  
  
"Leave him alone, Master Legolas," said a tired voice. Legolas turned his head in the direction of the voice. "Ah, so you have decided to join our conversation at last, Ringbearer," he said. "No, do not go back to sleep, I want you to come here. This concerns you, as well. And you too, Peregrin Took! Stop eavesdropping and come over here. I know your self-imposed guilt will not let you sleep. Come here, so that I may whack you as well!" After a moment's hesitation, the two Hobbits pushed aside their blankets and joined Aragorn on his bedroll. Pippin made certain that he put Aragorn and Frodo between himself and Legolas, so that he would not get hit with the pillow.  
  
Legolas saw it, and put the pillow down. "I will not hit you," he said, "unless you say something stupid. So be quiet and let me speak." He gazed at them sternly with his unnaturally bright blue eyes. "The three of you blame the death of Mithrandir on yourself, which is completely inappropriate. You are not the ones who decide who dies and who lives, so his death was not your fault." Bright tears shone in the eyes of the Hobbits. The Elf's words brought them no comfort, for their their grief and guilt were burried far beyond where words could soothe.  
  
"I was the one who decided to go through the Mines," Frodo said with a small voice.  
  
"And I was the one who attracted attention," Pippin said, choking on a sob. "Gandalf would still be alive if I hadn't touched that Dwarf's skeleton." He wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. "I should be dead, instead of him."  
  
"You are foolish little creatures!" Legolas cried, startling the Hobbits. His expression softened when he saw the Hobbits cower together. "Fate is a cruel thing," Legolas said. "It takes the lives of those who deserve to live the most, and it gives wealth to those who do not deserve it at all. But it is something that cannot be changed. Gandalf did not die by your doings, he died because Fate decided it was his time." He turned to Frodo. "Gandalf would have died, whether we had gone into the Mines or not. Do not place the weight of guilt on your little shoulders, Master Baggins, they have already so much weight to bear. You are strong enough to resist the Power of the Dark Side," here his eyes lingered on the silver chain around Frodo's neck, "but you are not strong enough to change Fate. Let it go." Frodo sniffed and wiped at his eyes. "I try," he said, "but there is always a voice in my head, telling me it was my fault, telling me I should give up, that there is no more hope."  
  
"I think," Legolas said slowly, "we both know where that voice is coming from and what it is trying to do to you." Silence fell upon them. For a long time, they gazed ahead, each lost in his own thoughts. Pippin was the first to become restless. He did not want to hear Legolas' lecture, for he was tired and wanted nothing more than to lay down and close his eyes and lock out the terribly cruel world he found himself in. He shifted a little, then stiffened as Legolas' eyes once again rested on him. There was a sadness in those eyes, Pippin saw. Sadness, guilt and many other emotions the hobbit could not see clearly, but there were many. The elf's eyes were like a sea, turbulent and wild, yet if you looked closer there was also a calmness.  
  
"Do you honestly think it was because of the noise you made that the Orcs and the Balrog came?" Legolas asked. Pippin nodded sulkily. "Well, you are wrong," said Legolas. "They were watching us from the moment we entered the Mines. I felt their eyes upon us the entire journey through the dark. They were watching, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Why do you think they came so quickly? It was because they were prepared, they had been waiting for us. That the Balrog came," he sighed, "that was just an untimely coincidence, I'm afraid. As I said before, Fate is cruel." Pippin was still sulking. "I shouldn't have made the noise," he said.  
  
Legolas sighed and smiled sadly. "Do you wish you had stayed home?" he asked. Both Hobbits nodded. "So do I. And here, Fate comes into play again. We were chosen to complete this task and therefore we are the only ones who can complete it. If we fail, Fate will be so cruel as to let the entire world be enslaved. Which is why I am asking you, telling you, not to place the blame on yourself. Place the blame on Fate, if you must, but I'd rather you put your grief behind you. Mithrandir's death will have been in vain if we fail, for if we want to complete our task, sacrifices must be made and Mithrandir knew that. Now I ask you to see the foolishness of your guilt, for you must be strong. I know you are too young, -- that is another one of Fate's cruel games, to hurt the young ones. But you must be strong, for the memory of Mithrandir and all those before him that fought bravely against the Dark Side!"  
  
The Hobbits suddenly felt better. "We will, Legolas!" they said. "We will be strong for Gandalf, and for all the folks in the Shire and beyond! We'll be strong for them, and for ourselves, so in the end, no matter what happens, we will win. And even if we can't defeat the Dark Lord, we will have won anyway, because we were strong and gave our best!" Legolas laughed. "My, what wisdom, all of a sudden," he said. "Your little heads must hurt from thinking so much; I can hear rusty hinges creak. Off to bed with you, before your brains become permanently damaged from being used so often, so suddenly." The Hobbits laughed and allowed themselves to be led to their beds and to be tucked in.  
  
Then Legolas returned to Aragorn, who had been very quiet. The Elf knew the Man was thinking hard about all the things Legolas had said. He also knew the man would come to the wrong conclusions, if he was given the time. "I assumed you would not like being rebuked in front of the Hobbits," Legolas said, drawing the man's attention to himself and away from his thoughts. Aragorn grinned humorlessly. "How right you were," he said sarcastically. Legolas sat down in front of him and looked deeply into Aragorn's eyes. "And what is your excuse for placing the blame on yourself?" he asked.  
  
"I should have known," Aragorn said, as if that explained everything.  
  
"Why?" asked Legolas. Aragorn made a frustrated gesture with his hands, as he searched for the right words. "You told me," he said. "You told me we should not linger, yet I ignored your words."  
  
"Did you?"  
  
"I did."  
  
"You did not. After I had told you we should not linger, you were as tense as a bowstring. I could see in the way you stood that you were preparing for an attack. You did not ignore my words, Aragorn, you have never ignored me." Aragorn rubbed at his tembles. "Then I should have put my 'great wisdom' to use and should have gotten us out of the Mines as quickly as possible," he said wearily. "I am a fool for not doing so." Legolas' slender fingers closed around the jewel around Aragorn's neck. "Do you think Arwen would love a fool?" the Elf asked softly. Damn him, but he knew how to get through to Aragorn. Aragorn shrugged. "Love makes blind, they say."  
  
"So you say she is a fool for loving you?"  
  
Aragorn gritted his teeth. "I only say that the Lady Arwen has made a mistake by falling in love with a Mortal and that she has placed her hopes too high."  
  
"So now she is not only a blind fool, but stupid as well?"  
  
"Damn you, Elf!" Aragorn hissed. He snatched the Evenstar from Legolas' hand and stood up angrily. "I don't deserve this," he said, pointing at the Evenstar around his neck. "I do not deserve any of the love that has been given to me. I do not deserve your trust in my abilities, nor do I deserve Arwen's faith in my returning to her. You Elves love too much. You make it so hard for me to continue," he whispered. "I am afraid of failing you all." He sagged to the ground. "I am afraid of failing the Elves, and of failing my own people." He burried his face in his hands. "You expect too much of me. I am not who you think I am."  
  
"Who are you, then?"  
  
"I am Strider, a mere Ranger."  
  
"You are Aragorn, son of Arathorn. You are the heir to the throne of Gondor. You are Estel, the Elfstone. You are Longshanks, Man of the West, Dunadan, wielder of the Sword That Was Once Broken, and you are Elessar. You cannot run from your destiny, Aragorn, and you are destined to be King."  
  
"I do not want to be king."  
  
Legolas placed a hand on the man's bent head. "You have no choice," he said. "Only you can reclaim the throne, only you can wield that sword, only you can restore peace. You will only fail us if you give up. And that, Estel, will only happen over my dead body!" Aragorn looked up and smiled at the furious fire in the Elf's eyes. Then he remembered something of earlier that day and his smiled disappeared. "Boromir has the same doubts about himself," he said. "His father and his people expect too much from him, yet he still has hope. He believes he and I can save the world of Men. He called us 'the Lords of Gondor'."  
  
"You are."  
  
"I wish it were not so."  
  
"Why, Aragorn?"  
  
"I... I don't know!" Aragorn buried his face in his hands again, as if to hide from the world. "Why are you asking me this, Legolas? This does not concern you. Why should you care?" His head was yanked up by his hair not quite so gently. Legolas looked him in the eyes. "Why should I care, indeed," the Elf hissed, "if you give up so easily. You are acting like a weakling, Aragorn. You wallow in self-pity when you should not be thinking about yourself at all. You should be thinking about for whom you are doing this. For whom did you go on this journey?" Aragorn lowered his eyes, then raised them again when Legolas yanked on his dark locks again. "I did it for Arwen," he said. "And for Elrond and his sons, and for everyone I love."  
  
Legolas released his grip on Aragorn's hair. "Have you suddenly stopped loving them?" he asked. "Is that why you are so uncertain?" Aragorn shook his head. "No, Legolas, that is not it," he said. "I am... I am afraid I will fail them..." He did not add the words that would truly reveal the source of his doubt, but Legolas had already guessed them. "You are afraid you will fail your people, like Isildur did," the Elf said softly. Aragorn nodded. Legolas leaned over until their noses almost touched. "Do you think Isildur would have been able to resist the Ring, if it had been only three bedrolls away?" he asked. Their eyes strayed to Frodo, who was sleeping soundly, his gentle face revealing little of the pain he felt.  
  
Legolas looked at Aragorn again, but the man refused to meet his eyes. "Aragorn, Isildur could not resist the Ring after only five minutes," the Elf said. "How long have we been on this journey? Weeks, months. All that time, you had but to grasp the Ring and we would have been unable to stop you. Yet you resisted it, all that time. Do you not see, Aragorn? You have not the weakness of Men in you, but its strength." The Elf placed two fingers under the man's chin and raised the man's head, so that he could look Aragorn in the eyes. "I know you will make a good king," he said. "Otherwise," he added with a laugh, "I am sure Arwen will slap some sense into you!"  
  
Aragorn laughed as well, then frowned when he saw Legolas' suddenly worried face. "What is it?" he asked worriedly. Legolas ran a hand through Aragorn's hair, his eyes narrowed in curiosity. "Arwen was right," he murmured, "your worries are giving you grey hair. You are growing old!"  
  
"Arwen was right about you, as well," Aragorn said, smirking. Legolas looked up curiously. "What did she say about me?" he asked.  
  
"That sometimes your maternal instincts surface and there is no stopping you."  
  
"Maternal instincts? I?! Oh, she will hear from me when we get back!"  
  
"If we get back," Aragorn said, suddenly sullen again.  
  
"Do not start again," Legolas warned. "There is no more time for me to repeat my speech, since it is long past your bedtime." Aragorn grinned. "Not maternal, were you?" he teased. Legolas stuck out his tongue at him. "Go to bed, child," he ordered. Aragorn chuckled and laid down on his bedroll. "Will you not sleep?" he asked, when Legolas stood up and walked away. Legolas looked at him over his shoulder. For a moment, Aragorn thought he saw grief in the Elf's eyes, but the emotion was gone too quickly for him to decipher it.  
  
"I need no sleep," Legolas said. "I shall walk under the trees of the Golden Forest and that will be enough rest for me. Goodnight, O future King of Men." He bowed, then disappeared between the trees.  
  
As soon as he was out of range, Legolas slumped against a tree. His heart beat wildly in his chest, as he sobbed softly. Hot tears burned in his eyes, then slid over his cheeks. He sagged to the ground, with his back against the tree. Mithdrandir's death weighed as heavy on his heart as it did on the hearts of the three he had scolded for blaming themselves. He knew it was hypocritical, for he blamed himself, yet had told them not to do so. Only Legolas knew for sure he could have done something to prevent Mithrandir's death. Or so he told himself. Tomorrow, his grief would be less and he would blame himself no more, since his sanity would have returned somewhat then. But tonight, he would blame himself and no one else, not even Fate, for something he could not have prevented, even though part of him knew what he was doing was wrong.  
  
Soft cloth brushed against his cheek, wiping away his tears. Legolas opened eyes he had not realized he had closed, and found himself looking in the fair face of Haldir, leader of the sentries of Lorien. Behind Haldir stood some of the Elves that had captured the Fellowship earlier that day. Haldir brushed his sleeve over Legolas' other cheek, wiping away the wet tracks the tears had left there as well. "Will you be alright?" he asked. It was the same question Aragorn had asked Legolas earlier, and Legolas' answer was the same, "Yes..." But there was more to be said this time and Haldir saw it. "Eventually," he finished for Legolas. Legolas nodded. "Eventually," he affirmed.  
  
Haldir stood up and extended his hand. "Perhaps you would like to join us patroling tonight," he said. "It may help get your mind off things." Legolas accepted the offered hand and Haldir pulled him to his feet. "I would be honored to be among you, who are famous for your stealth," said Legolas. Haldir placed his right hand over his heart and bowed slightly. "We would be honored to have you among us, Legolas of the Mirkwood," he said. "I apologize for drawing our bows at one of our kin, but we cannot be too careful in these dark times." Legolas waved his apology away. "I hold no grudges against you, Haldir," he said. "You were merely protecting your home. And such a beautiful home it is!"  
  
Legolas looked up at the tall trees around them. "There are many songs sung of the beauty of Lorien in my home, but none of those songs depict the true beauty of the Golden Wood. Alas that it is winter, for I would have liked to see Lothlorien in the spring." Haldir smiled. "Mayhap, when this is all over, you will be able to come back and see Lothlorien in bloom," he said. "And I, for one, would like to see you again, when times are not so sad."  
  
"As would I," said another Elf, and stepped forward. He bore a slight resemblance to Haldir, and Legolas guessed they were brothers. The Elf bowed. "I bow to thee, Legolas Thranduilion!" he said. "For you are the only one we have encountered, who could draw his bow as fast as my brothers and I. After the war that will surely come, I would like to try and see if our skills are indeed equally matched, but for now I must protect my people. Come! And we will show you how we sentries move through the forest and waylay our enemies. And perhaps you can tell us, in return, of your home in the Mirkwood. My brother Haldir is one of the few of our people who travel abroad, but I know little of the world beyond Lothlorien."  
  
They walked to the gate of Caras Galadhon. Legolas spoke to Haldir's brother Orophin of Mirkwood and the shadow that hung over the forest. As they drew nearer to the gate, the voices around them became softer and there were fewer lights. When they at last walked through the gate, Legolas looked over his shoulder at the elven city they left behind. He had only just left it, but he felt an emptiness in his heart already. He knew that now that he had seen Caras Galadhon, he would never look at beauty the same way again. Haldir noticed his look and walked beside him. "Come with me," he said, taking Legolas' hand. "I will take you to the tops of the mallorn, where the sentries dwell, for there the view is even more beautiful."  
  
They left the other sentries and climbed a tree. It was not a mallorn, but it was very tall and had thick, strong roots that partially grew above the ground. The tree had many branches, so it was easy for the elves to climb up. Halfway up the tree, the tree's foliage suddenly opened and it seemed to Legolas that they were at Caras Galadhon again. In the trees surrounding the one they were in, were many little flets with small elven houses on them. There were also stairs and bridges, connecting trees to eachother. Haldir gestured at the flets. "This is the home of the sentries," he said. "They live here, so that they can easily reach the various watch posts in the Wood. There are groups of houses such as these in four places in the forest. This is the sentry city of the north. Come, this way."  
  
They climbed further into the tree. As they neared the top of the tree, the branches became smaller and thinner but they had no difficulties climbing. After a while the foliage opened again and they stepped onto a talan. The talan was built at the very top of the tree, so from it the tops of the other trees could be overseen. Legolas felt the wind fan about his face and breathed in deeply. Far, far away he could see the dark shadow that was Mirkwood and he felt slightly homesick. Then he turned his gaze upward, to the stars. They seemed to shine brighter than he could ever remember them shining. Perhaps it was the influence of Lothlorien; everything in and around the Golden Wood seemed much more beautiful than it did anywhere else. Something caught his eye and he turned his gaze southward. He saw a dark cloud coming their way from the south. "What is that?" he asked, pointing at the cloud.  
  
Haldir, who had stood silently beside him, sat down on the talan. "That is the smoke coming from the trees that are burning in Isengard," he said sadly. "Saruman, it seems, now uses the trees for firewood." He sighed and shook his head. "I never would have thought that Saruman the Wise would make the unwise decision to join the Dark Side. I wonder what it was that drove him to it." Legolas sat down beside him and wrapped his arms about his knees. "His hunger for power, I should think," he said. "He wants the same thing as the Dark Lord: to dominate all life. I do not understand them. Once they dominate all races, what then? What will they do with their power? They will terrorize the people, but what for? They will drain the earth of its beauty and wealth, so what will they do when it is all gone?"  
  
"Let us hope that we will never find out," said Haldir. They sat quitly for a while, until Haldir broke the silence. "May I ask you a personal question, Legolas?" he said. Legolas looked up. "If it is not too personal, then yes," he answered. Haldir turned to look him deeply in the eyes. "I know that my Lady has given you the choice to return to your home and I know that you chose to complete the task you were sent out to complete, for you are still here," he said. "It is said that the Ring of Power promises whatever one wants, one's deepest desires. I know the desires of men are simple, for they desire power above all else. I can think of what dwarves might want, for they love valuable things. But I cannot think of anything the Ring could offer one of our own kind, for most of us are happy with what they have. What did the Ring offer you, Legolas? What did it promise?"  
They held eachother's gaze for a long time, until at last Legolas looked away. "The Ring offered me nothing but an illusion," he said softly. "It promised me peace. It said that if I would take it, my father's realm would know peace once again and the shadow would be gone." He looked up, eyes shining with unshed tears. "I do not understand. How could it offer me peace, while it is the very source of the shadow that threatens my home? It offered me nothing but an empty lie!" Haldir nodded. "But is there not a bit of truth in every lie?" he said. "If peace is what the Ring offered you, then it is what you believed you would achieve if you took the Ring. Is that not what you thought, Legolas? Did you not think that if you would have the Ring, there would be no more war?" Legolas looked away again. "Your question is too personal," he said. "I will give no more answers."  
  
"I understand," said Haldir. For a while he waited for Legolas to speak, but Legolas was silent. At last Haldir stood up. "Let us go down," he said. "There are still many things you have not seen." This time Legolas ignored Haldir's offered hand and stood up himself. After casting a long look at the dark forest in the distance, he started the climb down. Haldir watched Legolas' golden head disappear between the leaves with a mysterious smile on his lips, before he followed the prince down. When they reached the sentry city of the north once again, Haldir showed Legolas around. Legolas was amazed at the amount of sentries there were. He was also amazed that there were no women, for in Mirkwood many women who had not borne children helped protect the forest. When he told Haldir, the other Elf said, "There are fewer women than men in Lothlorien. Since our numbers are decreasing, we must be very careful that we do not risk the lives of life-bearers. There are already too few children born. Some women go with us from time to time, though, but only those who have had no children, for they are still as strong as men. My mother went with the sentries almost every day until she bore me."  
  
They slowly made their way to the ground, passing many flets with houses on the way. The group of sentries that had accompanied them out of Caras Galadhon, was waiting for them at the bottom of the ladder that led to the ground. When Legolas and Haldir arrived, they jumped up and they all continued on their way. Legolas was led to the fences in the North, where now a great watch was kept. The Galadhrim feared the Orcs from Moria would come out of the mountain and attack Lothlorien.  
  
Some time during their journey, Legolas thought he heard the chiming of bells and the soft sound of clear voices. Haldir had heard it as well and commanded them all to stop. "What is wrong?" asked Legolas. Haldir's face was stern. "The Healers are here," he said. "They are not always wise, it seems, for they should know it is dangerous to wander in the woods at night. I am disappointed in them, and especially in their leader. He is an elf wise beyond his age and should know better than to put himself and his apprentices in danger."  
  
"Do not be too hard in your judgement, brother!" said Rumil, who was a close friend of the master of the healers. "You know very well that the healers are very punctual when it comes to collecting herbs. If you berate them, they will merely tell you the moon is in the right position for collecting a rare herb and that if they would collect it at any other night the herb would not nearly be as powerful."  
  
"Still, they should have at least asked for permission," said Haldir. "Powerful herb or no, they should not be out in the forest at night. If they would have asked permission I would have sent some sentries to protect them. They are easy prey now, for I know they bear no arms." He stepped forward and said, "Come out, Elmir! You have some explaining to do." For a moment there was no answer, the bells and voices stopped. Then a clear voice answered, "Why, O Haldir March Warden? What have I done to displease you?"  
  
"You are out in the forest at night without permission!" said Haldir crossly. The voices of the healers rose in an offended whisper. Then the Master of the healers stepped forward, so that all could see him. He was a tall elf with a fair face, even for an elf. His thick, white hair hung down to his knees and his blue eyes were wise and piercing. With every movement the elf made, unseen bells chimed softly. The elf walked to them with sure steps and stopped in front of Haldir, who was taller by only half an inch. The eyes of the Master of healers sparkled with mirth and wisdom. He did not flinch nor look away under Haldir's stern gaze.  
  
"Your short-term memory is even shorter than usual, my friend," Elmir said. "It was you yourself who gave me permission to go into the woods at night. Why, this afternoon I asked Fergufel to --"  
  
"Say no more," said Haldir. "I have already found the source of this misunderstanding." He turned around, his eyes searching the faces of the sentries who were with him. They lingered on the face of the guardian standing next to Legolas. Legolas could clearly see that said guardian and Haldir'd had disagreements before, for Haldir's glare was more than deadly and the other guardian stared defiantly and haughtily back.  
  
"Fergufel." Haldir was able to pour all his anger into one word and though his arrogant smirk remained, Fergufel visibly shivered. He straightened his back and, after winking playfully at Legolas, strode slowly to Haldir and Elmir. He mock bowed for Haldir and asked with a fake innocent expression what was the problem. Haldir growled, barely able to control himself. "You are the problem, Fergufel," he said angrily. "Elmir tells me he has asked you permission to go out into the woods at night. How come I have heard nothing of this?"  
  
"I am no one's messenger boy!" said Fergufel just as angrily. "If he wanted your permission he should have asked you instead of me."  
  
"You are the second-in-command," said Elmir. "It is your duty to handle such matters when Haldir is not around. Haldir was not available this afternoon when I wanted to ask him, so I asked you to do it for me. Not only did you not do your duty by not telling Haldir anything of my request, you also lied to me when you said Haldir agreed! These are dangerous times, Fergufel. There is no time for games! The fight between you and Haldir must be put aside, unless you want us all to be killed in one of you ridiculous games to irritate Haldir. You are playing with lives, Fergufel. What would you have done if I or one of my apprentices had gotten killed? You should have told Haldir. Why did you not do so?"  
  
Fergufel was silent for a long time. Then he could no longer bear the stares from both Haldir and Elmir and said, "I forgot." Legolas snorted. That was a blatant lie if he had ever heard one! Haldir and Elmir did not believe the lie either, but Haldir decided now was not the time for it and let it pass. "We will speak of this later, Fergufel," he said. "Elmir, you and your apprentices will return to Caras Galadhon. It is too dangerous outside the city. Take Fergufel to the Lord and Lady. They will decide what to do with him."  
  
"No!" Fergufel grabbed Haldir by his collar. Legolas drew in a sharp breath. Such impudence was unknown among the sentries of Mirkwood! Haldir did nothing to try and remove Fergufel's hands from his throat, he merely stared at the other sentry until Fergufel reluctantly released him. Fergufel took deep breaths, nostrils flaring as he tried to calm himself. He was unable to admit his defeat, but he was also unable to look Haldir in the eye. It was yet another battle between him and Haldir that he had lost. "Very well," he said reluctantly. "I will do as you say, march warden, though you have no right to that title." He mock bowed again, then turned on his heel and stalked off.  
  
Haldir sighed. "Wild horses are not easy to tame," he said. "It is just as difficult to tame a wild spirit."  
  
"It takes someone strong to tame them," said Legolas, who was impressed by how calm Haldir had stayed. Rumil and Orophin snickered. Haldir's chest had puffed out at least a good three inches at that last compliment from Legolas.  
  
"Please, Legolas!" said Elmir. "There is no need for you to stroke his ego, for Haldir is very capable of doing it himself." The healer smiled and walked to Legolas. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Legolas Thranduilion," he said as they clasped eachother's arm. Legolas heard the bells again, only this time he say where the sound came from. Elmir had a lot of little bells in his hair, which chimed and sparkled when he moved. It was indeed dangerous for the healer to be out in the forest at night without any protection, for even orcs would be able to hear the bells from afar.  
  
"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Elmir," said Legolas. "I have heard about you from my father and the healers of the Mirkwood. They said you were almost as a good a healer as Lord Elrond."  
  
"Oh, dear!" said Elmir. "My skills are nowhere near Lord Elrond's, I'm afraid. I wonder where your father and his healers got that idea from."  
  
"From your wild stories, no doubt," said Rumil. "Truly, my friend, when you let your imagination run wild there is no stopping you!" Elmir stuttered and blushed while the others laughed. Haldir saved Elmir from further embarrassment by saying that they would be needed at the fences of the north. "It would be best if we leave now," Haldir said. "Elmir, you must go back to Caras Galadhon quickly, before your bells attract attention." He gave the bells in Elmir's hair a disapproving look. "Those bells have almost cost you your life once, yet you do not get rid of them."  
  
"Your nose makes you look less than beautiful, yet you do not get rid of it either," Elmir retorted. Legolas snickered at the venomous look Haldir gave the healer. Elmir merely smiled sweetly at the march warden, and then winked at Rumil and Legolas. "Well, I had best be on my way," he said merrily. "Legolas, it was a pleasure speaking with you, even though our conversation was short. Mayhap we can speak eachother again, then I can tell you the same stories I told your father so that you can make your own opinion of me. I think I have time for you tomorrow afternoon. Perhaps you could come to the House of Healing then?"  
  
"Do not believe him, Legolas," said Rumil. "He always has time to talk!" Elmir blushed again. Legolas laughed. "Tomorrow afternoon sounds fine, Elmir," he said. "I shall see you then."  
  
"I am looking forward to it," said Elmir.  
  
At that moment an elf in a grey cloak stepped from behind a tree. "Haldir, you must come quickly!" he said. "Orcs have come out of Moria and are crossing the Nimrodel as we speak!"  
  
"Curse their foul feet in its clean water!" said Haldir. He turned to the other sentries. "Go to the fence of the north, quickly!" he commanded. As the other sentries hurried away, Haldir turned to Legolas and Elmir. "Elmir, take Legolas back to Caras Galadhon with you. It is not safe here." He turned around and made to leave, but Legolas' voice stopped him. "I can fight," Legolas said defensively. Haldir scowled at him over his shoulder. "No, Legolas, you shall not fight," he said. "Now that you are within the borders of Lothlorien, you are under the protection of the Lady. Unless she gives you permission to fight with us, I am not allowed to let you put yourself in danger. Now go back to the city and rest."  
  
"I want to help. Let me help," Legolas insisted. He could not stand being left behind like some frail child.  
  
"You have no weapons with you," Haldir calmly pointed out. Legolas felt an embarrassed blush creep up his cheeks. Before he could say anything, Elmir clasped a hand over his mouth and started to pull him away. "Worry not, Haldir," Elmir said merrily. "I will take good care of him." Haldir nodded. He smirked. "Be careful," he said with mock concern. Then he winked at Legolas and disappeared between the trees. Legolas felt his anger flare. How dare Haldir mock him! He struggled against Elmir's grip, but the healer was surprisingly strong. Not until they were a good distance away from where they had left Haldir did Elmir release the infuriated and humiliated prince.  
  
"Do not be angry with me, Legolas," the healer said. "I was doing it for your own safety." Despite his words, Legolas' anger did not wane, especially not when he saw the mischievous twinkle in the healer's eyes. The prince scowled at the healer, then ignored him as they walked silently back to Caras Galadhon. After some time had passed Legolas glanced at Elmir and saw the healer was smiling mysteriously. When that smile did not leave the healer's lips, Legolas' curiosity got the best of him. "Pray tell what is amusing you so, Elmir," he said.  
  
"You and Haldir is what amuses me so," chuckled Elmir. "You only know eachother for a day and you already bicker like lovers." Legolas faltered in his step. "Begging your pardon?!" he gasped, eyes wide with shock. Elmir laughed. "Calm yourself, Legolas. I did not say you should be lovers, I merely said you acted like lovers. My words were completely innocent. Unless..." Now the mischievous twinkle was back in his eyes. "Unless you and Haldir have a few secrets together. My, my, whatever did you two do before I came across you?"  
  
"Elmir!" Legolas cried, blushing scarlet to the roots of his hair. "We did nothing of the kind of things you are thinking about. I cannot believe you would think such things!" Elmir shrugged. "I was only joking, Legolas," he said. "I just thought it was sweet, the way Haldir was being so protective of you. I think he likes you a lot, Legolas." Legolas snorted and kicked at the small stones on the ground. "He has a fine way of showing it, sending me back to the city like I am some weakling who cannot defend himself."  
  
"He was doing it for your safety, Legolas. He is right, you know. You are not allowed to fight in Lothlorien unless the Lady Galadriel gives you permission. You are a guest here, and a prince, not to mention a member of the Fellowship. You can understand that we must be very careful with you. Besides, you would have gotten in the way if you had gone with the sentries. They are not like the sentries of the Mirkwood, Legolas. The sentries of Lothlorien can move without being seen or heard at all. I'm sure you remember that well, for they were able to capture the Fellowship. Even you had only heard them when it was too late. If you had been enemies, you would have been dead before you would have noticed. And another reason for you to be glad you have not gone with them, is that now you can see more of the forest. Do you not enjoy the scenery?"  
  
"I do," Legolas said. His gaze was once again drawn to the large trees surrounding them. "The trees here are so different from those in Mirkwood." Elmir touched the trunk of a birch. "Yes, I remember the trees of Mirkwood had gnarled and twisted branches," he said. "I did not like touching them, for they felt like bad magic."  
  
"You are speaking of the trees along the Old Forest Road, I presume," said Legolas. "The trees near my father's realm have no bad magic in them. However, their magic is not as great and pleasant as the magic I feel in the trees here. Is it some spell of the Lady Galadriel?" Elmir shook his head. "Nay, I think the magic was there even before the Lady Galadriel returned from Valinor. Lothlorien has always been a place of magic and mysteries. Not even its oldest inhabitants like the Lord and Lady know all there is to know about the Golden Woods. Some of us, however, try to find out the secrets of this land and tell them to others if it is safe to do so."  
  
"By 'some of us' you mean yourself, do you not?" Legolas said with a smile. "You seem to be the curious type." Elmir blushed a little. "I must admit that I am," he said. "But for good reason! Without me there would be no one to tell stories of long, long ago, when the world was still young." His voice had suddenly become lower and deeper and enchanting. "None now live to remember what the world was like when our kind had only just awoken. So it is fortunate that I am a collector of stories and also a good story teller, even if I do say so myself," he added in a cheerful voice, and the spell was broken.  
  
Legolas blinked. "How did you do that?" he asked. Elmir grinned. "I can imitate the voice of anyone I want," he said. "That is what makes me such a good story teller. I began imitating birds when I was little, then slowly moved on to other living beings. I must say that I succeeded in imitating elves rather quickly." Legolas chuckled. "You enjoy talking about yourself, do you not?" he said. Elmir blushed. "I'm afraid so," he said. "But seeing as how I grew up with Haldir, I would say things are not as bad as they could be."  
  
"In the few moments we have known eachother Haldir has spoken less of himself than you have," Legolas said.  
  
"My, aren't we defensive of our guardian friend all of a sudden," Elmir said with a wink. Legolas blushed again. "I wish you would stop embarrassing me," he said, looking away.  
  
"I cannot. It is too much fun," Elmir said. His eyes suddenly became wide and he slapped a hand over his mouth. "Legolas, were we to take Fergufel with us? He seems to be missing," he said. Legolas looked around. It was true that the insolent guardian was nowhere to be seen, but neither were Elmir's apprentices. "Mayhap he has gone back with your apprentices," Legolas said. He looked at Elmir suspiciously when the healer grinned mischievously. "Where are your apprentices anyway?" Legolas asked. Elmir laughed nervously. "Collecting herbs," he said.  
  
"But Haldir said..."  
  
"Elmir, you must go back to Caras Galadhon quickly, before your bells attract attention," Elmir said, imitating Haldir's voice. "And later he said: Elmir, take Legolas back to Caras Galadhon with you. Those were his precise words. I never heard him say anything about my apprentices going back to the city."  
  
"You are a sneaky little weasel," Legolas said, smiling. Elmir's chest puffed out as the healer grinned proudly. "And I'm proud of it," the healer said. "But now we must go back to Caras Galadhon quickly, lest we might get in the way of things." Legolas' smile disappeared. "Yes, we would not want to get in the way of the march warden, would we?" he said sarcastically. Elmir tried to hide his amusement, but failed. "Is it really that bad?" he asked. "All Haldir did was follow orders. You were not to be put in danger and he would be in a lot of trouble if he had let you fight. Do you really want the Lord and Lady to be angry with him, just because you do not handle protectiveness well?"  
  
Legolas looked away. "Nay," he said. "I am sorry, I do not know why I am acting so childish." Elmir laid an arm around Legolas' shoulder. "You should get some rest," the healer said. "I can see in your eyes that your journey has taken its toll on you as much as it has on the others. A few hours' sleep will do you good, my friend. Let us go back and rest a little."  
  
They walked in silence, until the Gate of Caras Galadhon came into view. Then Legolas said, "Still, it is not fair that Haldir did not let me fight. I'm sure he would have allowed Aragorn to fight." Elmir burst into laughter. "Legolas, you are stubborn like a mule!" he said. "If it bothers you so much I suggest you go and train with the sentries tomorrow eve, then we shall see if you are fit to go fight with them." A wicked smile curved his lips. "I think Haldir will be at the training tomorrow. What better opportunity to show him your worth than in front of all the sentries? He has no choice but to let you come with them if you win."  
  
"And if I lose?" Legolas asked as they walked through the Gate. Elmir shrugged. "Then you can ask the Lady Galadriel for permission to go with the sentries. She has a lot of reasons to refuse, but I think she will let you anyway, seeing as how fine a warrior you are." They lowered their voices as they reached the pavilion where the other members of the Fellowship were sleeping soundly - or not so soundly, in Gimli's case. Elmir chuckled when he heard Gimli's snores. "That is a terrible noise," he whispered.  
  
"I know," Legolas whispered back. "I have heard it for months. Boromir and Aragorn do it too, sometimes." He carefully stepped over the sleeping form of Frodo and Sam. "Goodnight, Elmir," he said. "I shall see you tomorrow." Elmir grinned wickedly and Legolas tensed with anticipation when the healer bent towards him and rested his chin on Legolas' shoulder. "Sweet dreams," Elmir whispered in his ear, using that voice, Haldir's voice! Shivers ran down Legolas' spine and a blush crept up his cheeks. Elmir pulled back a little, his grin now a familiar arrogant smirk. He reached out and brushed his fingers over Legolas' cheek, then laughed softly and walked away.  
  
Legolas stood there for some time, still feeling Elmir's fingers on his cheek. When Elmir had imitated Haldir's voice, it had seemed for a moment that the healer had somehow become the sentry. It had seemed as if even Elmir's face had changed into that Haldir's. And thinking it was Haldir who wished him goodnight and touched him had been far too good. Legolas wrapped his arms around himself and walked to his bedroll, dreading sleep even though there would be no dreams to haunt him in this forest that was like a protective veil, shielding its inhabitants from all evil. He wondered how long it would take before the veil would be torn apart and evil would be allowed to enter. Judging from the voice in his head, it would not be too long.  
  
He laid down and pressed his hands against his ears, trying not to listen to that seductive voice that promised him so much empty lies. The One Ring had been rejected by him before, because he had been able to see through the lies. But no longer, for the Ring's lies had become more accurate, promising this time exactly what Legolas wanted. To want something so much and have it so near, yet not being able to have it was pure torture. And if the Ring continued whispering its promises any longer Legolas was not sure if he still wanted to fight. For the Ring was right, was it not?  
  
There was indeed a bit of truth in every lie.  
__________________________________________________________________________ Author's Notes: Well, that was darker than I had intended, but oh well. 


	2. Conspiracies

Title: For Your Eyes Only, Part II  
  
Author: CJ (missyjames@hotmail.com)  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: All unfamiliar characters and places belong to me, the rest belongs to Tolkien.  
  
Summary: Conspiracies are made to prevent Haldir and Legolas from becoming lovers. But they might not be necessary, for it is not certain if Haldir loves Legolas back.  
  
Author's Notes: Thanks for the reviews! I'm experiencing a wee bit of writer's block at the moment, so this chapter might not come out so good. And as if writer's block wasn't enough to slow the story down, I've also been on vacation. I had saved the story on a floppy disk so I could continue writing during my vacation, but then my laptop decided it would be fun to crash. So thanks to that piece of junk I couldn't finish this chapter earlier.  
  
Elmir brushed a lock of white hair back and forth over his lips, as he contemplated his latest dilemma. It was far too early for him to be doing some serious thinking and normally he would still be in bed dreaming sweet dreams about the one he desired but could not have, but now he had to think of a way to get himself out of the mess he had gotten himself into. And like with all his problems it was completely his own fault. It would only be fair if he were the only one to suffer, but this time others were also involved.  
  
From where he stood on the balcony of the House of Healing he could see almost all of Caras Galadhon. He could also see the pavillion of the Fellowship. One of the members was already awake and Elmir did not have to see him to know who it was. Indeed, it was his fault entirely that Legolas could not sleep any longer, for if he had not teased the prince with Haldir's voice last night Legolas might not have been aware of his feelings toward the sentry until the Fellowship had left Lothlorien and then it would already have been too late.  
  
But now Legolas had all the time he needed to think about what was happening with his heart and his head. It was strange, though, that he could feel so strongly for someone he had known only a day. Elmir leaned on the edge of the balcony and stared at Legolas as the Mirkwood elf sat silently on his bedroll with hands over his ears. Yes, the Ring was another reason why Elmir hated himself now. If he hadn't been so foolish the Ring would not have had another promise to plague Legolas with.  
  
Placing a finger against his lips, Elmir wondered how long it would take before Legolas would yield to the Ring's seduction and take the Ring away from Frodo. It could not be very long, for already Legolas was casting longing glances at the hobbit as he slept. Disaster would follow if Legolas possessed the Ring. Not only would Haldir be in danger, but also all other creatures of Middle-earth. Surely the Ring had been passed on to Frodo because he was the only one who would not give into its temptation. For the Ring to fall into another's hands would mean doom for all races.  
  
And it would all be Elmir's fault, for he could not resist teasing an unsuspecting elf whose heart was turning into the direction of love because of that teasing. So now Elmir was left to pick up the scraps. He could not let Legolas become any more distracted than he already was, therefore Elmir could not let Legolas and Haldir become lovers. He would have to make sure that they did not, which should be difficult enough, for Elmir knew well that once a heart was captured it was not so easily released. He himself had suffered many, many years from the same unrequited childhood love, which he had then thought to be a mere crush. Now he was paying the price for being such a fool. It was not fair that Legolas should suffer from Elmir's foolishness as well.  
  
The sound of voices caught his attention and he turned around. When he saw who was talking to one of his apprentices he let out a long sigh of relief. Perhaps there was still hope, perhaps there was a way to prevent Haldir and Legolas from becoming lovers. If there ever was an elf who could change the direction a person's heart was taking, it was the snake-tongued sentry named Fergufel. The sentry was notorious for spreading misfortune among the happy. Perhaps this time his lies and deception would do some good, though they would no doubt hurt someone.  
  
"I am sorry, I cannot let you pass," said Tholosarn to a fuming Fergufel. "Master Elmir is thinking and does not wish to be disturbed. He told me not to let anyone through." At least, the young apprentice was fairly sure his Master had said something like that. Tholosarn was Elmir's youngest apprentice and had many things to learn. He was a slow learner and also rather clumsy, two things a healer should absolutely not be. If it had not been for Elmir's kindness and patience, Tholosarn would never have had a chance at becoming a healer. Unfortunately he was not treated with respect by anyone but Elmir.  
  
Fergufel glared at the youth in front of him. "I do not care what your Master told you," he said, boring holes in Tholsarn's skull with his yellow- green eyes. "Anything you say is to be doubted, Tholosarn. You can barely remember how to breathe, let alone remember what your Master told you. Now step aside, child. I've no time for you." He pushed Tholosarn aside with ease, then stepped into the room. It was the main room of the House of Healing, where the wounded were taken care of. Along each side of the room beds stood with their headboard against the wall. The beds were all made and the sheets were stark white. The rest of the room was also spotless.  
  
"Why do you bother to keep things clean?" Fergufel said to no one in particular. "It is a waste of time, for no one is ever wounded. You quacks should spend less time brewing potions and cleaning beds, and more time protecting our people!" Elmir stomped his foot on the ground to get Fergufel's attention. "I demand that you take those words back!" the healer said angrily. "We healers are very important to our people, for we are there to pick up the pieces when you sentries fail. And considering you are a sentry, I think a lot of healers will be needed to clean up, Fergufel!"  
  
Fergufel's backhanded slap sent him sprawling on the floor. Tholosarn let out an enraged cry and rushed to protect his Master. He knelt on the floor next to Elmir and carefully examined the healer's split lip. Then he glared up at Fergufel, prepared to defend his Master with his life, if necessary. "How dare you," Tholosarn hissed. "How dare you hit my Master!" Fergufel brushed a stray lock of hair behind his ear and regarded Tholosarn coolly. "Perhaps next time your Master will think twice of accusing someone of a failure, when he is the only one to have failed to protect his people."  
  
Elmir lowered his eyes. It seemed that Fergufel already knew of the prank he played that had backfired so badly. "Tholosarn, leave it," he said when the youth wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth. He stopped the youth with a glare, when Tholosarn opened his mouth to protest. Elmir wiped the blood away from his mouth with his sleeve, then stood up, ignoring Tholosarn's offer of assistance. "Tholosarn, leave us alone for a while," Elmir commanded. Tholosarn hesitated for a moment, then nodded and turned around. "Don't you dare hurt him," the hissed to Fergufel, trying his best death glare. It only amused Fergufel, who laughed in his face. Blushing furiously, Tholosarn ran from the room.  
  
"The child loves you," Fergufel said, his eyes following Elmir as the healer sat on one of the beds. Elmir shrugged, eyes looking everywhere but at Fergufel. "It is merely a childhood crush," he said flatly. "He will grow over it eventually." Fergufel's eyebrows rose in amusement. "Why Elmir, how hypocritical of you," the sentry said. "I would have thought you of all people would know true love when you saw it." Elmir stiffened. "There is nothing I can hide from you, is there?" he shouted angrily. "You always reveal my secrets so you can torment me!"  
  
"You are one to speak of revealing secrets," said Fergufel seriously. "Anyone with eyes could see that you love Rumil, Rumil is the only one oblivious to it. Legolas' love, or idolatry, for Haldir was not so obvious, but you have now revealed it for the whole world to see. You wonder how I know all this? I followed you back to Caras Galadhon last night. I have heard every word of your conversation and I must say I thought you to have more brains. As if saying Legolas and Haldir acted like lovers was not enough to awaken certain feelings within Legolas, you also invited him to come to the sentry training! What do you think will happen when Legolas sees Haldir again? It is best if they do not see eachother anymore, otherwise there might be a chance Haldir returns Legolas' affection."  
  
Elmir looked up. "You mean you are not certain if Haldir feels the same way?" he asked hopefully. Fergufel shook his head. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared at the ground. "Haldir is not as easy to read as most people," he said. "I've tried, but I've never been able to decipher his feelings towards anyone, not even his brothers. I'm sure he loves them, but he is very good at hiding his feelings. I have absolutely no idea what he feels for Legolas, but I hope it is nothing more than camaraderie."  
  
"Even if it is nothing more than that, that still leaves us with Legolas," said Elmir. "We must somehow get rid of his feelings for Haldir, for he cannot be distracted by such a triviality as love, not when the fate of the world is also resting on his shoulders." He looked up at Fergufel. "It is often said that you are as cunning as a fox, Fergufel. Do you know how we should solve this problem?" Fergufel shrugged. "It is quite simple," he said. "All we have to do is make Legolas fall out of love with Haldir."  
  
"That is not simple!" Elmir snapped. "Falling out of love is not nearly as easy as falling in love. I have loved Rumil ever since we were children and I have never stopped loving him." Fergufel frowned. "You are a fool for not telling him," the sentry said. "Even though I'm quite certain Rumil does not love you, he has the right to know." Elmir shook his head, the bells in his hair chiming softly. "I would not risk friendship for love," he said. "If a friend is all I am to Rumil, a friend is all I will stay." Fergufel rolled his eyes and made a gagging noise. "I hope I will never fall in love," he said, a look of disgust on his face. "It is a completely superfluous emotion, not to mention a weakness."  
  
Elmir stood up. "Only you would think of love as a weakness," he said. "It is true that love can make the heart and mind stray from more important matters, but it can also be the source of great strength."  
  
"In your case, perhaps," said Fergufel. "But certainly not in Legolas'. It will only be a matter of time before he takes the Ring from the Halfling." He reached out and tugged on a strand of Elmir's hair, smirking at the healer's scowl. "But not to worry, I've already thought of a plan to make Legolas stop loving Haldir," he said. Elmir slapped his hand away. "Oh? And what plan would that be?" the healer asked, dreading the worst.  
  
"I will make Legolas fall in love with me, " Fergufel said. His eyebrows rose in surprise when Elmir burst out laughing. Fergufel calmly watched as the healer rolled over the ground, weeping with laughter. After a few minutes his patience ran out and he snapped, "Are you finished?!" Elmir sat up, still laughing. "Oh, I am sorry, Fergufel!" he snickered. "I knew you were arrogant, but this surprises me. You actually think you can compete with Haldir?!" Fergufel felt an embarrassed blush creep up his cheeks. "Of course I can!" he hissed. Elmir burst into laughter again. "Spare me!" the healer cried. "Spare me! He thinks he can compete with Haldir!"  
  
Fergufel snorted. "It is nice to know that you have so much faith in me," he said, insulted. "If you have a better idea I would love to hear it." Elmir wiped the tears from his eyes and stood up shakily. "No, I do not have a better idea," he admitted. "It is just that your idea is quite ridiculous. You think that after loving Haldir, who is nice and gentle and smart and many other good things, Legolas will love you, who are unfaithful, treacherous, selfish and many other bad things?!"  
  
"It was all I could think of," Fergufel said sullenly. "You are not the only one with the ability to enchant people with your words, Elmir. I thought that I would make Legolas fall in love with me, then leave him heartbroken. When hurt so badly by one he loves, he will surely want to keep his mind on other things as much as possible, so he will focus only on completing his task as a member of the Fellowship." Elmir shook his head sympathetically. "I pity you, Fergufel," he said softly. "You have not a friendly bone in your body. You speak of breaking a person's heart like one would speak of the weather! Have you no idea what misery you would put Legolas through if you broke his heart? And I certainly hope you have not forgotten our people can die of a broken heart!"  
  
"Don't worry, I have not forgotten," said Fergufel. "I do not mean to let Legolas love me completely. I will let him love me as much as it takes to make him stop loving Haldir, then I will tell him I do not want to be his lover and that we are better off as friends. That way I will not break his heart entirely." Elmir raised an eyebrow. "Won't you?" he asked.  
  
"It is better than a total rejection," said Fergufel. Elmir rolled his eyes. "Says he who has never loved another but himself," he sighed. "If you think being friends hurts less than being rejected, you are sadly mistaken. Being rejected means you never have to see eachother again, that you can pretend you do not know eachother. But being friends means you will see eachother again and again until the love is so painful it makes you long for death."  
  
"If it is truly that bad, why not tell Rumil how you feel?"  
  
"I cannot; I do not want to lose him as a friend. Can you not see, Fergufel? I love him so much I do not want to lose him either way, but at the same time I am being eaten from within every time I see him." Elmir fisted a hand in the folds of his tunic, right over his heart. "Go and try to seduce Legolas," he said. "I sincerely doubt your chance of success, but I know it is the only thing we can do for now. Please try and hurt Legolas as little as possible."  
  
"I cannot promise that," said Fergufel. He turned around and walked out of the room, but stopped on the threshold and looked over his shoulder. "When Legolas comes to see you, you must not speak of Haldir. If he insists, tell only bad things about him. Lie if you must, for I know Haldir has not done many bad things. I will make sure Legolas does not talk to Haldir during the training this evening." He paused, then shook his head. "It seems it is not always a healer who cleans up after someone's failure," he said, smirking. With a wink and a blown kiss he was out of the room.  
  
Elmir walked onto the balcony and looked at the city of Caras Galadhon. "Thank you so much, Fergufel," he said bitterly, "for rubbing salt in my wounds!"  
  
"Talking to yourself now, my friend?" Elmir's heart skipped several beats and he had to take a deep breath before he was able to turn around and face his friend. "Rumil," Elmir said, smiling warmly. "What brings you to my humble House?" Rumil pointed at his right shoulder, where a dark spot of blood soaked his tunic. "Haldir sent me to have you look at this," he said. "It's nothing serious, though Haldir made a fuss about it. I only got grazed by an Orc arrow last night." Elmir blinked. "Last night?" he said. "Rumil, it is already morning! Why did you not come to me earlier? Or rather, why did that fool of a brother of yours not send you earlier?!"  
  
Rumil grinned sheepishly. "I was here earlier," he said. "But Tholosarn was the only healer present and I value my life a little too much to have him take care of me, so I fled." He winked. "You are the only quack I trust." Elmir tried to swallow around the lump that formed in his throat. "I am flattered," he said, relieved that he did not stutter as he was wont to do when Rumil was around. "To what do I owe this amount of trust?" Rumil shrugged, wincing when his should hurt. "You have been my friend since we were children," he said. "And you have never disappointed me." That comment stung, even though Rumil had not said it to hurt his friend. Elmir knew for certain that if he confessed his true feelings for the sentry, Rumil would be disappointed because Elmir had kept it a secret from him. Hopefully he would be so disappointed he would forget to be disgusted. One of the things that kept Elmir from telling the truth about his feelings was that Rumil never seemed to be interested in anyone. The sentry had not suffered from childhood crushes, like most young elves, or any other form of love. The only love he felt was the love for his brothers and friends. Surely someone not interested in any kind of relationship would be disgusted if anyone, especially his best friend, would try to become his lover. Elmir did not think he would survive if Rumil was disgusted or disappointed with him, so he did not tell Rumil he loved him. Fergufel was too amused by watching Elmir suffer to ruin it by telling Rumil, so there might be a slight chance Rumil would never know Elmir's true feelings. Then again, if the sentry somehow did become interested in someone, Elmir would have to figure out a way to destroy those feelings. Though they were not lovers, and most likely would never be, Elmir considered Rumil his and would not let anyone get close to the sentry.  
  
"Well, I shall look at your wound, then," Elmir said as he turned around, so that he did not have to see Rumil's face. "Take off your tunic and sit on the bed and I will be with you soon." Elmir walked out of the room and into the next. The room was attached to the main room of the House of Healing, and was filled with shelves from top to bottom. On the shelves stood many, many potions and ointments, all with a unique color. Most of the bottles had a thick layer of dust on them, because it was not often that someone was wounded and required a potion. But the healers kept on making the potions, saying that it was better to be safe than sorry. They ignored elves like Fergufel, who said it was just a waste of their time, because the healers knew that they would be needed occasionally and they would have to be prepared then.  
  
At the back of the room Tholosarn sat at his desk, bent low over a bowl filled with a blue liquid. In one hand the youth held a bottle with a yellow liquid, in his other a green leaf. "Stop!" Elmir cried when Tholosarn wanted to pour the yellow liquid into the bowl. Tholosarn looked up. When he saw Elmir, he leaped to his feet and blushed a deep red as he tried to hide the yellow liquid and green leaf behind his back. "I am so sorry, Master Elmir," he said. "I was experimenting a little." Elmir tried not to be angry with the young elf, but failed. "How many times have I told you not to experiment without my knowing it?" he said, barely keeping his anger out of his voice. "I do not mean to insult you, Tholosarn, but every one of your experiments has failed miserably."  
  
Tholosarn looked at the ground and nervously shuffled his feet. "I was trying to invent a miracle potion that would cure any disease and would heal any wound," he said softly. "I was hoping you'd be proud of me." Elmir sighed heavily. "Alright, I forgive you this time," he said. "But next time ask for my approval or assistance. Do I make myself clear?" Tholosarn smiled enthusiastically, already looking forward to spending more time experimenting. "As clear as crystal," the youth said excitedly. He put the bottle of yellow liquid on the table and stuffed the leaf into a pocket of his tunic. Then he clasped his hands behind his back and said, "Is there anything I can help you with, Master Elmir?"  
  
Elmir nodded. "Rumil has come to me with a wound, he claims it is a mere graze. So if you would please bring me the ointment we use to cure wounds made by Orcish arrows..." Tholosarn nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, Master!" he said. "But..." He hesitated, before continuing, "But did you not examine the wound yourself? You always tell me the first thing a healer should do is examine the wound." Elmir felt himself blush scarlet to the roots of his hair. He had been so eager to get away from Rumil for a while, that he had forgotten to check the wound for shards of the arrowhead or splinters from the shaft. To have his very obvious mistake pointed out by one of his apprentices - his youngest and worst, at that - was not something he could handle very well. "Just get me the ointment!" he snapped, before turning around and stalking into the main room.  
  
Where he found Rumil sitting on a bed with his chest bare. The sight was enough to stop Elmir in his tracks and seek support against the door-frame, as his heart tried to leap out of his body through his throat and his intestines decided to throw a wild party. When Rumil looked his way Elmir quickly straightened himself and forced himself to smile. "Does your shoulder hurt much?" he asked when he noticed the wound on Rumil's shoulder, which indeed seemed to be a mere graze. Rumil shook his head, his golden hair swaying from side to side. "It stings a little," he said, "but that is all."  
  
Rumil walked to a corner of the room, near the balcony. There, a pipe- shaped stone tube attached to the roof caught rainwater and led it into a large basin in the main room. The basin stood on top of an oven, which was used to heat the water in the basin. Next to the basin laid a pile of firewood, of which Elmir took two logs and put in the oven. Then he knelt down in front of the oven and made a fire with his tinderbox. Usually he had his apprentices to do this, but Tholosarn still had not returned with the ointment and the other apprentices were out collecting herbs again - this time with permisson. Lothlorien only had one Master Healer and that was Elmir. One was not much, considering how the other elven realms had many more. But in Lothlorien healers simply had not been needed, not until these dark times started when evil was lurking outside of the realm. But luckily there were many elves who were willing to become a healer, so if necessary they were fully prepared.  
  
As the water in the basin slowly became warm, Elmir reached into the cupboard next to the oven and pulled out a white cloth and a long silver pin. "I am going to check your wound for shards of flint and splinters," he said to Rumil over his shoulder. Rumil groaned. "Oh, joy," he said sarcastically. "The prodding and pricking is always my favourite part." Elmir smiled as he first washed his hands, then the cloth and then the pin in the now hot water, then dried his hands and the pin with a towel. "Well, remember those unpleasantries next time before you do something reckless and get yourself hurt," he said.  
  
"I am never reckless!" said Rumil. He flinched when Elmir turned around and he saw the pin in his hand. "Must you use a pin so large? A smaller one would suffice, wouldn't it?" Elmir smiled. "Probably," he said, "but it is so much more fun to watch your reaction to having something long and hard shoved into your body." Rumil chuckled, familiar with the sexually insinuative teasing. "Perhaps it is fun for you," he said, "but it isn't amusing from my position."  
  
"Oh, woe you," Elmir said as he began to clean the wound with the wet cloth. Soon most of the blood was gone from Rumil's shoulder and the graze could be seen clearly. Elmir held the wound open with two fingers, then carefully began looking for shards of flint and splinters with the silver pin. Rumil winced and bit his lip. "Hurts," he hissed. "The pin hurts me more than the wound does!"  
  
"Hold still," Elmir muttered. He carefully removed a small splinter from the wound with the pin, then wiped the cloth over the wound again. "There," he said, laying the pin and cloth on the bed beside Rumil, "all done. Now we will have to wait until Tholosarn brings the ointment so I can put it on the wound. I hope he hurries." He wiped the blood from his hands with the white cloth, then stood up. As he did so, his nose touched Rumil's hair and Elmir breathed in deeply. Rumil's scent made him dizzy and feel like a lovesick child once again. Reminding himself of the many reasons why he could not tell Rumil he loved him, Elmir quickly straightened himself at the same time Tholosarn entered the room.  
  
"I am so sorry I did not come sooner," Tholosarn said apologetically, the faintest hint of a blush on his cheeks. "For a moment I forgot which potion Master Elmir had asked for, but luckily I remembered after a while." The reason he had forgotten was because he had been too dreaming about the time he could spend with Elmir on inventing potions at the time Elmir had asked him, so he had automatically said 'yes' because he could never say 'no' to his Master. It had taken him quite a few minutes to remember what exactly his Master had asked for. Tholosarn was proud of himself for remembering the potion, but Elmir did not seem pleased with him. "Tholosarn, I asked you to bring me an ointment," the Master Healer said slowly. Tholosarn slapped a hand over his mouth. "Oh, I am sorry!" he said.  
  
Rumil chuckled. "'Tis alright, Tholosarn," he said. "Just remember to bring the right one next time. The ointment for grazes, you know?" Tholosarn nodded and smiled weakly. He knew Rumil did not trust his abilities - but then again, no one did - but the sentry was always nice to him. Rumil understood that to learn anything, one sometimes had to make mistakes. Or in Tholosarn's case a lot of mistakes. "Yes, I will bring the right potion next time," Tholosarn said.  
  
"Ointment!" said Elmir.  
  
"Yes, I'm sorry!" Tholosarn hurried back into the other room.  
  
Elmir sighed heavily and rubbed his temples. "What am I going to do with that boy?" he said. "If he gives me any more grey hairs I will be mistaken for an old man!" Rumil laughed and kicked his feet up in the air like a little boy. "You cannot blame him for making mistakes," he said. "Poor Tholosarn is so busy ogling you I doubt if he hears a word you say!" He smiled dreamily. "Is that what love is about? That you are daydreaming all the time and nothing seems to ruin your good mood?" Elmir shook his head. "That is what youths often think what love is about," he said. "But the older ones know the heartache love can cause." Rumil smiled. He placed his hands on his knees and leaned forward. "What is it like to be in love?" he asked.  
  
"How I would I know?" asked Elmir, uncomfortable with the path their conversation was taking. Rumil chuckled. "Come now, my friend," said the sentry. "I know you have been in love before. Tell me what it is like!" Elmir shifted uncomfortably. He did not want to talk about love to Rumil, for he was afraid of betraying himself. But he could not resist Rumil's pleading look. Elmir would do anything to please Rumil, so he took a deep breath and said, "Very well, I will tell you what love is like. It is pain and pleasure at the same time. It is wanting something you do not want and feeling physical pain because of that unwanted longing. It is terrible for your self-esteem, for every moment of the day you doubt if you are worthy of loving. It is pure evil, for it can cause one's death. It is pure good, for it is what caused one to be born. It is life and death combined. It is what rips apart one's soul, and then stitches it back together."  
  
Rumil crossed his eyes. "Um... I didn't quite follow you," he said. Elmir smiled. "I know," he said. "I didn't follow myself either. But I've tried to explain it as good as possible." Rumil bit his lip. "From what you've said love does not seem a nice experience. It must have hurt you a lot when you fell in love, to make you speak so negatively about it." Elmir nodded and looked away, unable to stand Rumil's sympathetic look. "It still hurts me," he said truthfully. "Let us hope you never experience the pain of unrequited love." That stament startled Rumil, and the sentry sat up immediately. "Unrequited love?" he said in surprise. "Who was so foolish as to not love you back?!" Elmir chuckled nervously, avoiding Rumil's eyes. "It... it's the smell," he joked weakly. "No one wants to love someone who stinks of medicines."  
  
He could only blink once, before he found himself pounced upon. Rumil knocked him over, sending them both tumbling to the ground. The sentry landed on top of the healer. "Rumil, what are you doing?" Elmir choked out, trying to wriggle from underneath Rumil before the sentry noticed what the closeness of their bodies was doing to certain parts of Elmir's body. Rumil merely grinned, before bending down and burying his face against Elmir's neck. Elmir stiffened completely, fully aroused as he felt Rumil nuzzle his neck. "Hmm, you don't smell bad," Rumil said softly, the soft puffs of air he breathed against Elmir's skin causing Elmir to tremble with desire. "There's the smell of medicines, yes," Rumil continued, oblivious to the amount of pleasure and pain Elmir was feeling. "But underneath that, there is another smell. Not a bad smell at all. It must be some sort of very sweet-smelling flower. No, wait, it's you!"  
  
He pulled back and smiled down at Elmir, his golden hair falling over one shoulder and barely brushing the healer's face. "You do not stink," Rumil said. "Not even the scent of medicines can mask your own sweet scent, all one has to do is take a closer look - or smell, in this case." Elmir smiled. His heart was filled with love for the sentry and he felt it tearing up his soul. Not a word I have said about love was a lie, he thought. Aloud he said, "I thank you for your compliment, my friend. Now can you get off of me? I am not comfortable on this hard floor." Rumil smirked and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "If you want me to get off of you, you will have to make me," he said defiantly.  
  
Elmir began to trash. "No, please!" he said a bit desperately. If Rumil did not get off him soon, his arousal would become clear to the sentry and Elmir did not think he could live with the shame. Rumil calmly rode out Elmir's struggles, until the healer gave up and lay panting and flushed beneath him. About to open his mouth to tease his friend some more, Rumil was prevented from doing so by a familiar voice. "Rumil, get your colossal butt off poor Elmir. Your troll-like weight is crushing him." Rumil looked up and saw his Orophin standing on the threshold, along with a very surprised looking Legolas and Tholosarn. "I was just having some fun," Rumil said, deliberately wiggling to press Elmir even further against the ground. The hard buckle of Elmir's belt uncomfortably poked Rumil in his thigh.  
  
"I do not think it is so much fun from Elmir's position," Orophin said. As always his expression did not give away his thoughts, but his sparkling eyes betrayed his amusement. He turned to Legolas and said seriously, "Please excuse my brother for his strange behavior. A bird mistook his brain for a nut and flew away with it." Rumil glared at his brother and stuck out his tongue at him. "And you were left on the doorstep by Orcs, for you were ugly even by their standards," he retorted. Legolas chuckled, the brotherly bickering reminding him of his own brothers. The youth Tholosarn stared open-mouthed at the scene of Rumil sitting on top of his Master, suddenly feeling very jealous. Letting out an angry yell, Tholosarn rushed to help his Master.  
  
Elmir let out a sigh of relief when Tholosarn pulled Rumil off of him. He grunted and quickly caught the jar of ointment Tholosarn dropped in his haste to get Rumil away from his Master. Elmir stood up quickly and brushed himself off, thankful that his arousal was hidden by the folds of his robe. He smiled sheepishly at Legolas, who smiled back and chuckled when Orophin scolded Rumil for behaving like a child and getting hurt. "I thought Haldir was joking when he told me you were injured," Orophin said. "I did not believe him until he sent me to the House of Healing to see how you were doing. How could you be so careless as to let yourself get hurt?" Rumil pouted a little. He was also disappointed with himself, but he was glad his brothers were more concerned than disappointed with him.  
  
Orophin carefully examined Rumil's injured shoulder. "Shame, Rumil," he said. "You kept Elmir from his work with your games. The wound could have been infected while you were crushing poor Elmir." Rumil brushed his brother's hands away irritably. "I am fine," he said. "I am not some fragile child who needs to be fussed over." That did not mean he did not enjoy the attention he was given. Rumil sat down on a bed and sighed dramatically. "Elmir, my friend, I'm all yours," he said, spreading his arms wide. He did not understand why Elmir blushed and quickly looked away, nor why Orophin suddenly narrowed his eyes suspiciously and gave Elmir the icy look he usually gave his enemies.  
  
Legolas smiled as he watched the scene in front of him. He was glad to know he was not the only one struggling with his heart, but at the same time he felt sorry for Elmir and Tholosarn. The Mirkwood Prince sat down on another bed and smiled at Rumil as the sentry made a face behind Elmir's and Orophin's back. Elmir asked Tholosarn to put out the fire under the basin and as soon as the youth was out of hearing range Orophin bent towards his younger brother and whispered in his ear, "Next time you decide to crush Elmir, think about who will be most eager to take his place." His eyes strayed to Tholosarn, who almost burnt his robe when trying to put out the fire in the oven. "Surely you do not want to have us rely on Tholosarn's skills?" Orophin said. Rumil shuddered. "Nay, I do not," he said quickly.  
  
Elmir finished cleaning and bandaging Rumil's shoulder, even though the sentry said bandages were not necessary. Then Orophin and Rumil said goodbye to Legolas, who asked if they would be at the sentry training later that day. "I am afraid not," Orophin said. "Not all of the sentries will be there. Rumil and I are part of the group that will keep patrolling. Our brother will be there, though, and he is looking forward to seeing you at the training. He thinks you will not last long, and he has betted on it as well! His exact words were: 'I doubt if the princeling will last longer than the time a leaf needs to fall from its branch to the ground.'" Legolas clenched his hands to fists, to keep himself from throwing something heavy at someone. "I see," he said icily. "Tell your brother I will make him swallow those words - as well as his sword!"  
  
Rumil laughed. "How I wish I could be there to see the fight between you and our brother," he said. "But I'm sure Elmir will tell us all that will happen, won't you?" he said, turning to the healer. Elmir nodded enthusiastically. "Of course I will!" he said. He secretly dreaded the fight between the prince and the sentry, for fighting meant they would be very close to eachother - and if his feelings for Rumil could be compared to Legolas' feelings for Haldir, Legolas' love would only grow during the fight. Fergufel had better make sure Legolas did not come anywhere near Haldir during the training. Elmir hated having to depend on the snake- tongued sentry, who was all but trustworthy. Elmir noticed the quiestioning looks the others were giving him and realized he must have scolded, something he rarely did genuinely. Smiling broadly, Elmir told Orophin and Rumil that they had to return to their posts, for there were borders to protect.  
  
When the two sentries had left, Elmir told Tholosarn to get some wine and fruit, and then sat at the table on the balcony with Legolas. As they ate and drank, Elmir told Legolas all the stories the prince wanted to hear. Legolas was especially interested in the stories that had made his father admire the healer and compare him to Lord Elrond. When Elmir told Legolas those stories the prince laughed so hard he nearly fell off his chair. Elmir merely blushed a little. Most of his stories were so ridiculous many people thought they had to be true, but Legolas saw the little flaws in the stories and pointed them out with great amusement, causing Elmir humiliation time and time again.  
  
As the day drew by Elmir noticed Legolas became a bit restless. The prince was probably looking forward to the sentry training and his chance to show Haldir his worth. Elmir wished he could share Legolas' enthusiasm, but he was too afraid of what could happen if Legolas and Haldir fought. The healer nervously played with a lock of his hair, thinking of ways to prevent Legolas from going to the sentry training. He could drug the prince by putting a sleeping potion in his drink, but from what Legolas had told him the prince knew a lot about herbs and would probably recognize the smell of the potion. Any attempt Elmir made to talk Legolas out of going failed miserably, for the prince was so excited he found a reason to go to counter the reason Elmir thought of to not go.  
  
Finally Elmir could stall no longer, for it was evening and the training would soon begin. With a melancholic sigh Elmir stood up and forced himself to smile at Legolas. "We had better go," he said. "The traingin will start in a few minutes. We cannot let those poor sentries miss our divine presence, can we?" he added with fake humor. Legolas smiled and stood up as well. "Indeed, we cannot," he said. His hands clenched to fists by his sides. "And I cannot accept Haldir's insulting words. Twice has he treated me like a child and doubted my ability to fight. I will not let him get away with it!" Elmir saw the rage in Legolas' eyes and felt hope flare up within him. If Haldir kept acting arrogant, Legolas would be too busy being angry to think about his feelings towards the sentry.  
  
"Shall we go then?" Elmir asked cheerfully, knowing Haldir would remain arrogant as long as he was not taught a lesson - and Elmir seriously doubted Legolas would be the one to teach that lesson. The two elves walked out of the House of Healing and made their way down to the ground by using one of the huge stairs that wound through the trees. As they went down Elmir pointed at flets and told Legolas who lived there, whose relatives they were and also a few amusing stories about their childhoods. When they reached the ground they met someone they had not expected. Gimli the Dwarf was walking around nervously, unable to make out where all the elfin voices were coming from. Seeing the Dwarf had his back turned to him, Legolas smirked and silently walked to Gimli until their bodies were only inches apart. Still the Dwarf did not notice him.  
  
Winking at Elmir, who muffled his chuckled behind his hand, Legolas opened his mouth and loudly said, "Good evening, Master Dwarf." And promptly had an axe thrown at his head, which he only barely managed to dodge. Elmir yelped when the axe soared past his head and struck the tree behind him. Gimli blinked up at the elf standing in front of him, body tense and his hand holding another one of his axes. When he recognized the fair faced creature he relaxed with a sigh. "Oh, it's you," he grunted. Legolas felt his anger flare. How dare this creature who grovelled in the ground like a worm talk to him with such... such disappointment? "Yes, 'tis I," Legolas said as he placed his hands on his hips. "Who did you expect? The Balrog? Or perhaps some more dead cousins?" Oh, the crestfallen expression on the Dwarf's face was truly heartbreaking. Legolas felt sorry the instant the stinging words left his mouth. Almost having his head cut off by his travelling companion's sharp axe had made him a bit angry, but he had no right to say what he had just said.  
  
Even though he knew he had been wrong, he could not apologize. Trying to ignore the wetness he saw shining in the Dwarf's eyes, Legolas walked past Gimli without sparing the Dwarf another look. Elmir followed swiftly, his hatred for Dwarves making him cheer at the sadness Legolas' companion was feeling. Before they were too far away to see the Dwarf, Legolas looked over his shoulder. He did not do it because he was worried about the Dwarf, or because he felt incredibly guilty for the pain he had caused. It was just that he did not want the Dwarf to get into trouble, for he was needed to complete the quest. Maybe if you keep saying that you will actually believe it, a voice in his head nagged. Legolas' heart sank in his chest when he saw that Gimli had not moved at all. The Dwarf's shoulders were slumped, his head bowed in sadness. Legolas did not know if his eyes were playing tricks on him, but he thought he saw Gimli's shoulders shake, as if the Dwarf was crying. Then Gimli looked over his shoulder and their eyes met for a brief moment. Legolas saw the pain in Gimli's eyes and Gimli saw the pain in his. They both snorted and looked away at the same time, both with their nose stuck in the air and their back straight. Elmir saw this and rolled his eyes, thinking that maybe there was a reason Haldir treated Legolas like a child.  
  
"Where exactly is this training?" Legolas asked when they had been walking for a while. Elmir tossed his hair over his shoulder, his eyes following the last rays of the Sun as she disappeared behind the trees. "Oh, wherever the sentries feel like training," he said. "They will let us know in a few minutes." Legolas looked at him in surprise. "How will they let us know?" he asked. "Will they send a messenger?" Elmir grinned. "Nay, they will tell us themselves," he said, his eyes staring at something Legolas did not see. Suddenly Elmir ran off. Despite his heavy white robe he was very fast. "Come on, Legolas!" he shouted over his shoulder. "It seems the sentries are in a playful mood, for they want us to follow them. Hurry, before they are all gone!" The healer disappeared between the trees in a flash of white.  
  
Legolas looked around, but saw no one. "How can I follow the sentries if I cannot see them?" he shouted, but Elmir was already gone. He angrily stamped on the ground, angry with Elmir for letting him alone in the middle of the forest and angry with himself for trusting the mischievous healer. Legolas crossed his arms in front of his chest and pouted angrily. "There are no sentries," he said. "Elmir tricked me."  
  
There was a chuckle from above and before Legolas knew it, arms were wrapped around his waist and he was hoisted into a tree. "We meet again, Legolas," said a familiar voice. Legolas pushed Haldir away from him and took a step back on the branch they were standing on. Haldir wore the same outfit Legolas had seen him in the first time, only now he also wore a cloak. The sentry could not be seen unless he moved suddenly, which, of course, he did not. "Is something the matter, Legolas?" Haldir asked innocently, as he took off the hood of the cloak. "Do you have trouble seeing us sentries?" Legolas' hands clenched to fists, something they often did since he had met the arrogant sentry. "There are no sentries," the prince said. "You are the only sentry here."  
  
Haldir smirked. "And this," he said, "is why I did not want you to fight with us against the Yrch last night. If you cannot see us, you cannot fight with us." He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow defiantly. "But now you think you can train with us?" he said. "I do not wish to insult you, but I do not think you stand a chance." Legolas trembled with anger. "What makes you think you are so much better than I?" he hissed. "You are only invisible because of your cloaks. Us Mirkwood sentries rely on our own skills, rather than on someone else's magic!" The arrogant smile fell off Haldir's face. "Are you implying that the sentries of Lothlorien are incompetent?" he asked, unable to keep the anger out of his voice. Now it was Legolas' turn to smirk. "No, not all sentries," he said smugly. "Just you."  
  
"I see," Haldir said. He leaned over until their noses touched. "Let us bet, shall we? I bet you will not last longer than five minutes. If I win, you will do whatever I want you to do. If you win, I will take back my insults and give you the best bow and quiver I can find. Do we have an agreement?" Legolas did not have to think long about that. "Yes, we do," he said. "I cannot let those insults go unpunished." Haldir smirked. "Now is your chance to repay me for those insults," he said. "But of course, you will have to catch me first." He jumped to the ground and ran away. Legolas sat on all fours on the branch and saw Haldir's silvery hair disappear between two trees. "How childish!" he shouted after Haldir.  
  
"Catch me if you can!" was shouted back at him, followed by mocking laughter. Legolas growled and tightly clutched the branch with both hands, wishing it were Haldir's throat. He jumped into another tree and tried to catch a glimpse of Haldir. The annoying sentry was nowhere to be seen. "I will easily last five minutes if you keep hiding from me!" he said loudly, hoping Haldir would response and betray his location. There was no answer but the wind blowing through the trees. "Come out and fight me, you coward!" Legolas shouted, his patience gone. The realization that he was unarmed hit him in the face like a Dwarf's hammer. "Oh no! How could I have been so stupid?!" Legolas wailed, tugging at his hair in frustration.  
  
"You're a bit slow when it comes to thinking rationally, aren't you?" a voice from behind said. Legolas whirled around so fast he nearly lost his footing and fell to the ground, but he managed to regain his balance in time and swung a fist at Haldir, who easily dodged and jumped onto another branch. "I had expected this to be a real fight," Haldir said disappointedly. "You should still have a chance even though you are unarmed, if it had not been for the fact that you cannot control your anger." He pulled a long knife from the folds of his tunic and threw it at Legolas, who caught it by its hilt. "Perhaps it will help you last a few seconds longer," Haldir said. "What do you say, Legolas? Shall we begin?"  
  
"I say my five minutes are almost up," Legolas said smugly. Haldir sighed tiredly and shook his head. "Poor fool," he said. "The fight has not begun yet." He smirked. "But it has now." He moved too fast for Legolas to see. Before he could prepare himself, a foot hit Legolas in his stomach and he fell off the branch. He hit the ground with a loud thud. The knife fell from his hand and landed on the ground three feet away. Haldir leaped from the tree and approached the fallen prince, slightly concerned. Legolas had hit the ground hard and probably had a few broken bones. Legolas stood up, albeit a little shakily. "Are you alright?" Haldir asked. That earned him an icy glare, before Legolas' eyes went to the knife on the ground. Haldir smirked and took a step towards the knife. "Come and get it," he said defiantly.  
  
They moved at the same time. Legolas dove towards the knife, while Haldir drew his sword and slashed at the prince. Legolas' fingers closed around the hilt of the knife and he ducked quickly. Haldir's sword flew past his head, barely cutting off his ear. Legolas jumped up and held the knife ready, but before he could strike Haldir rammed a knee in his stomach, sending him sprawling to the ground again. Haldir placed a foot on Legolas' back, preventing him from getting up. With a smug smile he looked down at the fallen prince, who could only glare back while gasping for breath. "And so I have won," Haldir said triumphantly. "And also within five minutes, which means you will have to do as I say."  
  
"I am not defeated yet!" Legolas snarled. He reached up as far as he could and hit Haldir in the hollow of his knee with his fist. Haldir was momentarily thrown off balance and Legolas used that opportunity to turn onto his back and kick the sentry in his stomach. Legolas jumped to his feet, knife in his hand and aiming for Haldir's throat, but Haldir recovered quickly and jumped backwards. The two elves glared at eachother, both panting from the blows the other had landed. Legolas smirked. "My five minutes are almost up," he panted. Haldir's face darkened. "You wish," the sentry growled, before attacking. Haldir's speed once again amazed Legolas, for he did not even have the time to bring the knife up, before Haldir's body collided with his. One of Haldir's hands grabbed the wrist of the hand that was holding the knife, while the other hand brought the sword up. Legolas closed his eyes and waited until that cold piece of steel would touch his neck and Haldir would claim victory. But that did not happen.  
  
Instead, a soft mouth covered his, a wet tongue brushing against his lips. Legolas moaned into the kiss, opening his mouth to Haldir's questioning tongue. It was that moan that caused them both to realize what they were doing and instinctively pull away. Haldir took a few staggering steps backwards, his eyes wide with surprise until he snapped out of shock and his face became impassive. Legolas lifted a trembling hand to his lips, now panting for a different reason. He was unable to comprehend what had happened. One moment Haldir had been full of passion, now he looked so icily Legolas doubted if even a Balrog could melt him. But Haldir's lips had been warm. Legolas could still feel their warmth on his own lips, could feel it spreading through his body, in fact. He took a hesitant step towards the sentry, his heart beating wildly in his chest. "Why... why did you do that?" he asked softly.  
  
Fergufel's yellow-green eyes quickly scanned the group of Orcs. He and Elmir were sitting in a tree at the far borders of Lothlorien, farther than most of their people were willing to go. Another group of Orcs had come out of Moria and were standing under the tree the two elves were sitting in, debating whether or not they should go into the forest. They knew there were invisible sentries in the forest who could kill them in an instant, but they wanted revenge for the deaths of their comrades, who had been killed by the Fellowship. The Orcs knew the Fellowship had gone into the forest and never come out, but they were certain the members of the Fellowship were still very much alive.  
  
"There are not enough of them to do any serious damage," Fergufel whispered to Elmir, without taking his eyes off the Orcs. "But we must be careful that they do not send messenger to tell the others of their kind where the Golden City is." He looked up when he heard Elmir sob and saw that the healer was crying. "What is it now?" Fergufel asked impatiently. Elmir looked at him with surprise in his tear-filled eyes. "Do you not care at all?" the healer sobbed softly. "Does it not matter to you that we are betraying our people?"  
  
"Of course it does!" Fergufel said sharply. He sighed when he saw Elmir flinch from him and wiped away the healer's tears with his sleeve. "You must think of what will happen if we do not do this," he said a bit gentler. "You know we are doomed if Legolas and Haldir become lovers, for you and I saw the future. We must, at all costs, prevent that from happening. Haldir already almost doomed us all when he fought Legolas even before the training had begun, preventing us from keeping the two of them apart. Who knows what they could be doing right now? I do not want to betray our people either, nor do I want to see either Legolas or Haldir unhappy, but I would rather cause them heartache than see the world I love be destroyed." He grabbed Elmir by his shoulders and forced the healer to look him in his eyes. "We are doing this to help our people, and all the other peoples in Middle-earth. Legolas and Haldir must _not_ become lovers!"  
  
Elmir nodded weakly. "You are right," he said softly. He wiped the back of his hand over his eyes. "Legolas probably knows he is in love with Haldir by now. It is too late to try to prevent that from happening." He sobbed softly. "I hate doing this," he hissed. Fergufel patted his back. "I don't like it either," the sentry said. "This is too treacherous, even for me. But it must be done. If the Orcs attack Caras Galadhon everyone will be shocked that they could have gotten so close. The sentries will be forced to patrol day and night, to prevent another attack. Haldir will have no time to see Legolas then, so mayhap there is still hope that Legolas might give up loving him." Elmir nodded. "For our people," he said.  
  
"For our people," Fergufel said. Elmir smiled weakly, then turned around and looked at the Orcs beneath them. Cupping his hands over his mouth, Elmir imitated the voice of an Orc and told the Orcs from Moria how to get to Caras Galadhon without encountering sentries.  
  
Author's Note: I am so sorry the fight between Legolas and Haldir sucked, but I just can't describe a good fight. Next chapter up ASAP. Let's see if Fergufel and Elmir's plan works. 


	3. Insanity

Author: CJ (missyjames@hotmail.com)  
  
Title: For Your Eyes Only, Part III  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: All unfamiliar characters and places belong to me, the rest belongs to Tolkien.  
  
Summary: Step one of Elmîr and Fergufel's plan has been carried out, and it looks like it's working.  
  
Author's Notes: Sorry I haven't updated this story for a while (six months? o.O"). I've been writing original fiction for a while now and I like it much better than fanfiction, so I spend more time writing original fiction. I'll try to update this story more often, but I can't promise anything. Thanks to the people who reviewed to tell me they still wanted another part of my story, even though it hadn't been updated for a while, and thanks as well to all the people who've waited for me to update.  
  
"Why. why did you do that?" Legolas asked softly. Haldir's face was devoid of any emotion but anger. It seemed the sentry was not pleased with the recent turn of events. Legolas brushed a lock of hair behind his ear with trembling fingers. Though a blush of shyness and embarrassment graced his cheeks, he met Haldir's stern gaze with one of his own. "Why did you kiss me?" he asked. Haldir's scowl darkened, but he did not reply. "Answer me!" Legolas demanded. The desire Haldir's kiss had awoken in him was quickly being replaced with anger. It seemed that whenever he was near the sentry, Legolas could not control his own feelings. And then, suddenly, while Legolas was completely unaware of the dark and murderous turn his thoughts had taken, a voice that had become frighteningly familiar hissed in his head. "Just take him. Take him; make him beg you to stop. Take him so hard the entire forest will shake. I can help you, you know. Only I can give you what you want. All you have to do is take me away from the Hobbit, and the sentry will be all yours. He will love you and worship you like a God. Think of it, Legolas. Think of how sweet your love will be. The Hobbit's death is a small price to pay for your happiness. Go on, come and get me. I'm so close. Your friends will understand; they want you to be happy as well. Come, and Haldir will be all yours. Come, Legolas. Legolas."  
  
"Legolas! Legolas!" With a cry Legolas opened his eyes and pushed Haldir away. He was lying on the ground. Haldir sat beside him with a worried expression on his face. "Are you alright?" the sentry asked.  
  
Legolas sat up a little and looked at him with terror filled eyes. "Make it stop," he pleaded. "I cannot take it anymore."  
  
Haldir brushed a few strands of hair from Legolas's face. "Make what stop?" he asked.  
  
Legolas reached up and desperately clutched Haldir's tunic. "The Ring," he whispered. "It will not stop torturing me. Please, make it stop!" He buried his face in the crook of Haldir's neck, his body trembling with fear. "I am afraid," he admitted. "I am afraid that soon I will betray you all."  
  
Haldir rubbed his back soothingly. "I thought you could see through the Ring's lies," he said.  
  
Legolas shook his head. "Not anymore. The Ring has found another weakness."  
  
Haldir looked down at the top of Legolas's golden head in surprise. The Mirkwood prince did not strike him as someone with many weaknesses. He grabbed Legolas by his shoulders and held him at arm's length. "What new weakness is this, Legolas?" he asked. Legolas shook his head and would not meet Haldir's eyes, until Haldir grabbed his chin and forced him to look up. Haldir pinned Legolas to the spot with a stern look. "Legolas, you must tell me what it is the Ring is offering you," he said, his voice leaving no room for arguments. "I need to know what it is, so I can protect my people from it - and from you." His expression softened. "And I want to help you. Tell me what desire is torturing you so and I will help you find a way to get rid of it."  
  
To his surprise, Legolas let out a bitter laugh. "Help me get rid of it?" the prince said in a mocking voice. "Haldir, you are." Legolas closed his mouth with an audible click. He had been very close to telling Haldir that he was the desire, but had chosen not to at the last moment. Legolas was not sure what Haldir thought of him, for the sentry was hard to read and his behaviour changed from icily indifferent to friendly concern faster than a hobbit could eat a whole piece of lembas. And Legolas feared Haldir would laugh at him for falling in love so easily. Legolas now knew he was in love with Haldir and he was a bit angry with himself for not noticing it earlier. Elmîr had known from the start that Legolas was in love with Haldir, but it had taken Legolas longer to find out. The thought of being in love both pleased and frightened him, for he was happy he had found someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but at the same time he did not think Haldir returned his feelings. If Haldir did feel something for him, Legolas would wait for the sentry to make the first move, for he was too frightened to do so himself.  
  
Legolas looked up when Haldir stiffened. "What is it?" he asked. Haldir was staring at something over Legolas's shoulder, but when Legolas turned his head to see what Haldir was looking at, Haldir yanked him to his feet and stood in front of him protectively. Legolas's grip on the long knife he still held in his hand tightened, when he saw what had caused Haldir to stiffen. A group of Orcs was standing in front of them, looking very pleased. Legolas recognized them as the Orcs from Moria. Anger welled up in him when he remembered those Orcs had nearly killed Frodo when they had released the cave troll. For a brief moment the thought that if Frodo had indeed been killed, Legolas could have already possessed the Ring flashed through his mind, but then the anger returned and he only wanted revenge for his friend's pain.  
  
He had not realized he had taken a step forward, until Haldir stopped him by placing a hand against his chest. "Stay here," the sentry commanded.  
  
Legolas opened his mouth to protest, but then decided not to. "How could this have happened?" he asked. "How could they have entered this far?"  
  
Haldir shook his head, trying his best to glare the Orcs to death. "I do not know," he admitted reluctantly. "They should not have been able to come this far and still live." His voice became harsher. "If they continue this way, they will reach Caras Galadhon! Legolas, you must go back to the city and warn the others that Orcs are near."  
  
"Nay!" Legolas hissed. "You cannot fight them alone, Haldir. I will stay here and fight with you, whether you like it or not."  
  
Haldir threw him a very annoyed look. "Do as I say!" the sentry snapped. "I do not have time to argue with you, Legolas. If you want to help, do as I say and warn the Lord and Lady." Legolas wanted to object, but then an Orc arrow flew past his head. "Go!" Haldir shouted as he pushed Legolas away. Legolas still hesitated. Haldir drew his sword. "By the Valar, Legolas, be wise for once! You'll only get in my way!" he shouted. Legolas scowled at him, but then turned around and ran away. Behind him he could hear the sounds of metal hitting flesh and metal hitting metal and the deafening screeches of the Orcs. Legolas had almost reached the sentry city of the north, where he was sure to get help, when he heard the screeches and the thundering feet of the Orcs very close to him. He stopped suddenly, fear seizing his heart. If the Orcs had been able to follow him, they had defeated Haldir. Panic struck him like a bolt of lightning and he spun around. Sure enough, he could already see the Orcs coming through the trees, yet Haldir was nowhere in sight. Blind in his panic, Legolas was unaware that he was running towards the Orcs, until an arm wrapped around his waist and pulled him behind a tree. Haldir's knife flew from his hand and landed on the ground with a soft thud.  
  
Legolas struggled against the arms holding him. "Let go!" he hissed. "Let go, I must help Haldir!"  
  
The one holding him chuckled. "Haldir has been taken care of, my friend. All that is left is to get you to safety."  
  
Legolas looked up and glared at Fergufel's grinning face. "Why is it that you sentries think I cannot fend for myself?" he asked irritably.  
  
Fergufel's grin widened. "It is our instinct to protect all those who are weaker than we," he said. He slapped a hand over Legolas's mouth and laid a finger on his lips when Legolas opened his mouth to argue with him. "Hush now, little one," he whispered as he drew his cloak over them both. "We mustn't let the Orcs find us." The cloak was not meant for two persons, thus could barely cover them both. Fergufel used that as an excuse to press his entire body against Legolas's, pushing Legolas against the tree as he did so and trapping him there. The Orcs passed them without noticing them, though a few of the smarter ones stopped to scratch their head and wonder where the elf they'd seen had suddenly gone off to.  
  
"You should fight them like Haldir did," Legolas whispered softly in Fergufel's ear.  
  
The sentry's smirk disappeared at the mentioning of Haldir's name. "My main priority now is to protect you," he hissed. "And you should not think so highly of Haldir. If it had not been for him, the Orcs would not have been able to enter the forest. Instead of protecting his people, Haldir chose to play hide-and-seek with you."  
  
Legolas blushed a little. "We did not play hide-and-seek," he mumbled, as he looked away. "There was a training."  
  
"What I witnessed the two of you doing was not training," Fergufel said. "Perhaps playing like little children is considered a training where you come from, but here we take matters more seriously."  
  
Legolas's eyes sparkled with anger. He gave Fergufel an angry shove, causing the sentry to stumble several steps backwards. Luckily the Orcs had already passed them; otherwise Fergufel would probably be dead. "I promised Haldir I would go to Caras Galadhon to warn the Lord and Lady of the dangers that have entered their forest," Legolas said icily. "So if you will excuse me, I shall go now." Before he had been able to take a step, Fergufel had pinned him to the tree again, this time with his arms above his head. "What are you doing?" Legolas hissed irritably.  
  
Fergufel's yellow-green eyes regarded him curiously. "What is it about you," he said as his eyes swept over Legolas's body, "that would attract Haldir?" He raised a mocking eyebrow. "It cannot be your personality, for you are a snobbish, spoiled little brat." He ignored Legolas's growl of anger and buried his face in the prince's golden locks. "Your body it cannot be either, for there is nothing special about it. What, oh what could make Haldir be attracted to you?"  
  
Legolas turned his face away from the other elf when Fergufel started to plant kisses on his throat. "What makes you think Haldir is attracted to me?" he asked, trying to ignore the wet tongue that swept over his skin. He felt Fergufel smirk against his skin.  
  
"Haldir only goes after worthy prey," the sentry chuckled. He raised his head and looked Legolas in his eyes. "And you, my friend, are the best prey one could have: a willing prey." He became serious and leaned closer. "But Haldir is not the only hunter, is he?" he said softly. "There is something else that is also after you, isn't there, Legolas?" He gently brushed his lips over Legolas's. "They're tempting, aren't they? The Ring's lies. They make you wonder if they could be true. Would Haldir scream as loud in reality as he does in your dreams?"  
  
Legolas stiffened. "Stop," he whispered.  
  
"Why would I?" Fergufel asked. "My words are the truth, something you have not heard for a while. Your dreams are savage, Legolas. You dream of taking Haldir by force. Of course, the Ring produces these dreams for you, but they still spring forth from your imagination." His face twisted in mock sympathy. "But who could blame you for wanting him?" he said. "The thought of him screaming for you to stop is arousing, isn't it? As is that sick little fantasy you had involving him, naked and tied up, and some of your sharpest arrows. Creative, I must say, but rather cruel." Legolas was trembling. Hot tears slid over his cheeks. He wondered how Fergufel knew about the dreams that had been plaguing him, preventing him from sleeping peacefully. Fergufel was right, though: Legolas had a sick mind. All he could think of was making Haldir scream. He did not care whether it was in pain or in pleasure; he just wanted to hear the sentry scream. Fergufel released Legolas's hands and wiped the tears from his cheek. "Poor, poor elfling," he sighed. "How much longer will you be able to resist? Already one of your dreams has come true, though luckily this one was innocent. Next time you will not be satisfied with just fighting with Haldir, will you?" He shook his head. "No, next time you will want to see him bleed, bleed for you and because of you. When it comes to bloodlust, you are no better than the Enemy."  
  
Legolas slapped him across his face. "Stop it! Stop it!" he hissed, as he pressed his hands over his ears. "I do not want to hear it anymore!"  
  
Fergufel rubbed his sore cheek. A red palm print appeared on the porcelain skin. "No one wants to hear the truth, Legolas," he said seriously, not a trace of mockery in his voice. "When times are dark and things are not going the way we want them to, all we want to hear is that everything will be alright eventually." He stepped closer to the other elf. "I am a well- known, or should I say notorious liar. When you can no longer stand the painful truth, find me and I will tell you what you need to hear." Legolas did not answer, looked away instead. Fergufel sighed and clasped the prince's shoulder. "Now, let us go back to the city. I'm sure word of the Orc attack has reached the sentries there by now."  
  
Legolas sniffed and wiped his tears away. He felt embarrassed for letting Fergufel get to him like that. The sentry's words still echoed in his head. Why he trusted someone who had just torn his soul apart with mere words was beyond him, but he trusted Fergufel anyway. "What about Haldir?" he asked.  
  
Fergufel smiled. "Do not worry about Haldir," he said. "He can take care of himself." When Legolas looked at him suspiciously, he snorted and said, "Now I am offended! Do you honestly think that I would leave Haldir, that I would leave anyone of my people to die? Not even I am that heartless!"  
  
Legolas lowered his head in shame. "My apologies," he said. "But I do not know what to think of you. Your emotions are very hard to read." Fergufel smirked. "I guess that is a thing Haldir and I have in common."  
  
"You have no right to compare yourself with Haldir," Legolas said icily.  
  
For a moment it looked like Fergufel wanted to reply, but then he shrugged and turned around. "Follow me," he said. As they walked to the city, they heard the sounds of battle in the distance. "I hope the Orcs have not sent messengers to their kin," Fergufel murmured.  
  
Legolas looked in the direction of the sounds. "How could they have gotten this far into the forest without being spotted?" he asked.  
  
Fergufel shrugged. "There are a few ways that lead to Caras Galadhon that are not guarded by sentries," he said. "But they are secret and very few of our people know of their existence."  
  
Legolas's eyes widened in shock. "Then someone must have told the Orcs where those paths were!" he said.  
  
Fergufel shook his head. "That is highly unlikely," he said, "for I can think of none who would want to betray their own people."  
  
Legolas opened his mouth to confirm that statement, but then he noticed how Fergufel had emphasized the words "their own people" and he felt anger well up in him. "What are you implying?" he hissed. "That one of the Fellowship has betrayed us?"  
  
Fergufel shrugged. "The Dwarf did say "a plague upon your necks!" when we first met. And the son of Gondor's Steward has been as interested in the Ring as you have been. You must not blame me for doubting your companions, Legolas, for time and time again it has been proved that we can trust no one."  
  
Legolas shook his head wildly. The thought that a member of the Fellowship could have betrayed them seemed ridiculous to him. "We have sworn to protect the Ring bearer," he said.  
  
"You have sworn to protect him from the enemy, but not from yourselves," Fergufel said.  
  
Legolas clenched his hands to fists. "They have not betrayed you," he hissed.  
  
Fergufel shrugged nonchalantly. "I never said they did," he said. "I just do not trust them."  
  
Legolas crossed his arms in front of his chest and scowled at his feet. "Your Lord and Lady trust them," he said irritably. "Do you doubt their judgement?"  
  
"Nay, I do not," said Fergufel. "But I know the Lord Celeborn is still suspicious of all the members of the Fellowship - yes, even of you. He simply is on his guard, as we all should be in these dark times." They arrived at the Gate of Caras Galadhon. Fergufel looked up at the trees and nodded. "They have all gone to protect her," he said, almost to himself.  
  
Legolas looked up at the trees as well, but saw nothing. "Who has gone to protect who?" he asked curiously.  
  
Fergufel looked at him over his shoulder and smiled slyly. "The sentries have gone to protect the city," he said. "Even when there is but the slightest threat, they would all jump in to protect their home without a second thought. Is it like that in the Mirkwood?" he asked, as they continued walking.  
  
Legolas felt his cheeks heat with anger. "Of course it is like that!" he snapped. "Do you think we are less eager to protect our realm than you? The arrogance among the Galadhrim is amazing! Twice this day have the capabilities of my people been doubted. The warriors of the Mirkwood are as good as yours!"  
  
"I see," Fergufel said. "Is that why Haldir defeated you with ease?"  
  
"He did not defeat me with ease!" Legolas shouted, all dignity forgotten as he tried to defend his honour. "We were equally matched!"  
  
Fergufel guffawed with laughter. "Oh, you most certainly were not!" he cried. "Now who is arrogant, my little wood realm cousin? Haldir was merely playing with you. Believe me, he was not even trying to win the fight. If he had been serious, you would have been in the House of Healing for a long, long time."  
  
By now, Legolas was so angry he was having a terrible headache. "If Haldir was not seriously trying to fight me, then I demand revenge," he said crossly.  
  
Fergufel chuckled. "Oh, I do not think you will get the opportunity for that," he said. "If I am correct, you will not see Haldir for a long time." Legolas wondered why the sentry was so happy about that. "Lord Celeborn will not be pleased," Fergufel continued, "so Haldir will do his best to get back in the Lord's good graces. He will spend all his time defending the borders of our realm, so I very much doubt if you will see him again before leaving Lothlórien."  
  
Legolas sighed and wrapped his arms around himself. The thought of not seeing Haldir for a long time made the nagging voice in the back of his head shout out with the indignity of it.  
  
Fergufel observed the prince closely. Legolas did not seem happy when hearing he might not see Haldir again until he was leaving. The Wood-elf had already fallen head over heels with Haldir, which displeased Fergufel greatly. If Legolas truly was in love, and knew it, it would make Fergufel's task a lot more difficult. "This thing you feel for Haldir," he said, "is it love or lust?"  
  
Legolas scowled at him. "Why would I tell you?" he asked suspiciously.  
  
Fergufel shrugged. "I am merely concerned for your well-being, my friend," he said, as they stopped at the bottom of the stairs that led to the talan on which the house of the Lord Celeborn and the Lady Galadriel stood. The sentries at the bottom of the stairs stared ahead silently, seeming oblivious to the world. One of the two sentries, a tall elf with a face the same shape as Fergufel's, looked down at the other sentry and the prince and caught Fergufel's eye. The two shared a meaningful look, which was not noticed by Legolas, before the sentry stared ahead again.  
  
Smirking, Fergufel started to climb the stairs. "Haldir has taken quite a liking to you," he said, as Legolas followed him. "I must admit that such a thing is not rare, for Haldir has an eye for beauty, but it is strange that he has not tried to seduce you yet. Usually he hunts his prey a few hours after spotting him or her, but now he has already waited almost a day. Of course, you are a prince and a member of the Fellowship, so you should keep your mind on more important things than coupling and the like, but that usually does not stop Haldir from pursuing his desire. Perhaps this time he has thought about the consequences of throwing you aside like a useless arrow."  
  
Legolas ran up the stairs until he was walking next to Fergufel. "Would he throw me aside so easily?" he asked.  
  
Fergufel nodded. "Haldir has never been in a relationship for more than a few hours," he said. That had been mostly because Fergufel had interfered, but he did not tell Legolas that. He also did not tell Legolas that Haldir had only been in two, though brief, relationships so far.  
  
They arrived at the talan. Legolas had been sulking because of Fergufel's words, but when he saw Haldir standing on the talan all his anger and disappointment disappeared.  
  
He wanted to run to Haldir and see if he was alright, but Fergufel grabbed him by his arm. "I do not think Haldir wants you to witness this, Legolas," he said, nodding in the direction of Lord Celeborn, who was standing in front of Haldir. Celeborn was talking to Haldir and though Legolas could not hear what was said, he did hear that Celeborn's words were loaded with disappointment. The prince looked up at Fergufel and saw the sentry was smirking. It was obvious Fergufel was enjoying Haldir's shame very much. Feeling a burst of anger, Legolas elbowed the sentry in his ribs. Ignoring the sentry's icy glare, Legolas concentrated on what Celeborn was saying to Haldir.  
  
"You have failed me, Haldir," Lord Celeborn said. There was pain in the old elf's eyes, as he shook his head slowly. "You are by far the best march warden I have ever had, but tonight you have disappointed me like no one else has ever disappointed me before. I had always thought Lorien would never be invaded by Orcs, I relied on the capabilities of my sentries, but tonight I have been proven wrong." He stood in front of Haldir, who stared blankly ahead, as if his Lord's words did not entirely reach him. "Where were you tonight, Haldir?" Celeborn asked. "How did those Orcs get past your sentries?" He waited for an answer, but there was none. Haldir stared ahead like a statue, as if he was seeing things Celeborn could not see. "Have you no words to defend yourself with?" Celeborn asked. There was only the briefest shake of Haldir's head, Celeborn could barely see it. "Have you nothing to say at all, Haldir?"  
  
"Only this, my Lord," Haldir said. "I am sorry for disappointing you, it was never my intention. Even though there was a training tonight, the Orcs should not have been able to enter Lothlorien as far as they did this night. Do not blame your sentries for what happened, my Lord, for I will take full responsibility." After that, he was silent, and awaited his punishment.  
  
Celeborn sighed and rubbed his temples. "Very well, then," he said sternly. "If you take responsibility, then it is you who will be punished. I cannot take any risk of bringing my people in danger, Haldir, you must understand that. There cannot be a repeat of tonight, for next time it might not end well. Therefore I cannot let you be march warden anymore." He saw the younger elf's shoulders stiffen, and he felt a pang of pain in his heart. "I am truly sorry, Haldir, but it is too dangerous to give you a second chance." Even though he knew Haldir would never let Lorien be invaded again. Celeborn looked at the elves standing hesitantly at the bottom of the stairs. "Fergufel!" he called.  
  
Fergufel stepped forward and bowed. "Yes, my Lord?"  
  
"From now on you are the march warden. Do not neglect your duties."  
  
Fergufel bowed again, lower this time. "Thank you, my Lord," he said. "I can assure you that I will not fail you." He straightened and looked at Haldir, and a sly look was in his eyes. "I have a question, my Lord," he said. "Neglecting my duties, does that include neglecting playing with prince Legolas?"  
  
Celeborn's eyebrows rose. "Begging your pardon?" he said, wondering if he had heard correctly. He looked for an explanation to Legolas, whose complexion rivaled that of a tomato. "What do you mean, Fergufel?"  
  
"Why, the reason Haldir did not notice the Orcs until it was almost too late, of course," Fergufel said with faked innocence. "Did you not know, my Lord? Haldir was playing with prince Legolas, instead of training with the other sentries."  
  
"That is not true!" Legolas cried. He felt that Haldir would be in trouble if word got out that Lothlorien's fabled march warden had been playing hide and seek with him, instead of protecting the city like he should have. "We were training together, that is all!"  
  
"Oh, really?" Fergufel's smile was evil. "I cannot think of a training that requires kissing."  
  
"What?!" Celeborn looked from Haldir to Legolas and, seeing the blushes on the faces of the two elves, brought a hand to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Haldir, tell me you did not," he said. "Tell me you had a better reason than this to fail me."  
  
Haldir lowered his eyes. "I am sorry, my Lord," he said softly.  
  
"And you should be!" Celeborn said sternly. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. "Well, if this is the way things are, then I think it is not a good idea to have you protect the city at all, Haldir. You will not go with the sentries from now on, but will stay in the city and will help wherever you are needed."  
  
"Yes, my Lord," Haldir said with difficulty.  
  
"You cannot do this!" Legolas cried. "Lord Celeborn, it was not Haldir's fault that the Orcs could enter Lothlorien. Fergufel told me there are a few ways to get to Caras Galadhon without being noticed by sentries. Someone must have told the Orcs about those ways, otherwise I'm sure the sentries would have stopped them before they would have even come close to entering Lothlorien!"  
  
Celeborn shook his head sadly. "There is no one of our people who would do such a thing, Legolas," he said.  
  
"It does not necessarily have to be one of _our_ people, my Lord," Fergufel said with a slight smile. "The Dwarf, for instance, carries his hatred for us on his sleeve."  
  
"No!" Legolas hissed. "Lord Celeborn, I can assure you that no one of the Fellowship would even think of betraying you, not even the Dwarf." He glared at Fergufel, who stared defiantly back. "I take it as a personal insult that one of the Fellowship is being doubted. Gimli may not be one of the Elves' dearest friends, but he would rather take his own life than betray us. He too wants to save his people, like we all do, and he will not achieve that goal by betraying us."  
  
"You're sure of this, Legolas?" Celeborn asked.  
  
"Yes, my Lord."  
  
"Very well, then." Celeborn gave Fergufel a stern look. "I would appreciate if you kept your sharp tongue behind your lips, Fergufel, and desist insulting my guests. I believe Legolas when he says the Dwarf will not betray us. Also, the Dwarf could not have known about the secret ways to reach our city."  
  
"But my Lord -"  
  
"No, enough of this," Celeborn said sternly. "I have spent too many words on this matter already. When the enemy is closing in around us, there is no time for us to accuse one another. We must work together to destroy the enemy, not point out each other's mistakes. You may go now." That said, the Lord stood up and left.  
  
Haldir's lips were tightly pressed together as he turned around and made to leave as well. He stiffened when he saw Legolas and Fergufel, as if he saw them for the first time. His face became a mask of anger when his eyes fell on Fergufel. "Well, I hope you're happy, Fergufel," he said coldly. "For once you've won. My only hope is you'll not bring death to our people because of one miserable victory." He bowed stiffly, then turned around abruptly and began to descend the stairs to the lower telain.  
  
Legolas placed his hands on his hips and glared at Fergufel. "Well, I too hope you are happy," he snapped. "What you did was completely unfair. You and I both know there was no way Haldir could have stopped the Orcs, not if they knew how to get to Caras Galadhon. Both you, Haldir, and all the other Galadhrim were to blame, for you all failed to protect your city. By placing the blame on Haldir alone you've only shown how immature you are. Show more maturity in your position as march warden." With his nose in the air he turned around and ran after Haldir.  
  
Fergufel smirked as he watched Legolas run away. No doubt this whole little ordeal only made Legolas' feelings for Haldir stronger, but Fergufel would find a way to fight that. He was a master at deceiving people, after all. A hand clasped his shoulder and he was turned around. "Mae govannen, Elmir," he said sweetly to the fuming healer. "You look beautiful today."  
  
"What have you done?" Elmir hissed. "You fool! Now Haldir is..."  
  
"No longer march warden, yes," Fergufel said smugly. "I thought that, since I am helping to save the world I might as well get a little reward for myself. What better reward than becoming what I've always wanted to be?"  
  
"You disgust me!" Elmir pushed Fergufel away from him and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I wouldn't be so angry if I knew you'd make a good march warden, but you won't. Does the safety of our people mean that little to you?"  
  
Fergufel scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous, I care about our people as much as Haldir does. I just think that once every hundred years or so, we are in need of a new march warden. Haldir has become rusty, like a sword that has been neglected, and as you can see he let his mind stray from the most important matters. With me as march warden -"  
  
"-Haldir will have even more time to woo Legolas!" Elmir snapped. "Brilliant plan, O brainless one! You were supposed to prevent them from spending time together."  
  
"Not to worry," Fergufel said. "I've already thought of a better plan."  
  
Elmir raised an eyebrow. "This plan wouldn't involve bloodshed, would it?"  
  
Fergufel smirked. "No, of course not," he said innocently. His yellow-green eyes bored into Elmir's. "Not on my part, at least. But I have a feeling Haldir might become a little violent when I steal his love from him."  
  
"Oh, Illuvatar, is having your revenge on Haldir all you can think of? I say you've punished him enough for whatever it is he's done to you, by taking over his position. I can only imagine the damage it must do to his pride." He cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. "But that's what your after, isn't it? You don't want Haldir dead, or heartbroken, you just want his pride to be destroyed. Whatever for, Fergufel? What could Haldir have possibly done to deserve your hatred? You two used to get along so well, before -"  
  
"I know, Elmir," Fergufel hissed. "Do you not think I remember that?" He pushed the healer aside and began to pace back and forth. "Every day I'm reminded of how things used to be. I have but to look at his face and painful memories assail me! But does he remember the good times we had? No! He sees me as his arch enemy and treats me that way! I still love him, but sometimes I wish he had never come back from the Halls of Mandos!"  
  
"Fergufel!" Elmir exclaimed, looking at the sentries that stood beside the stairs to the Lord and Lady's thrones. The sentries had no doubt heard Fergufel's words, and it would be a disaster if the Lord and Lady ever found out. No one was ever to know of the trick Fergufel and Elmir had played on their kind and the Valar a long, long time ago. "Will you be quiet, for once?" the healer hissed. His face was almost as pale as his hair. Three thousand years, all the horrible things he had seen, and he was still afraid of a scolding from his Lord. Such a pathetic Elf he was.  
  
"Let's take this somewhere else, shall we?" Fergufel said, grabbing Elmir's hand. He smirked in a way that greatly disturbed Elmir, for that smirk meant that someone was about to suffer. "I will show you my plan, my friend, a plan that will no doubt result in Haldir being bitter and Legolas..." He chuckled. "Oh, not to worry; Legolas will be able to complete his quest. Let's just say - No, on second thought, I'll not tell you. Let me show you instead. I'm sure you'll be very pleased."  
  
~*~  
  
"Haldir! Please wait!" Legolas leaped the last seven steps of the stairs to the ground, and landed with a soft thud. Haldir was only a few yards in front of him, but the sentry walked with such brisk, long strides, that it was difficult even for the swift-footed Legolas to keep up with him. "Wait!" Haldir did not stop, but slowed down a little and looked over his shoulder to see if Legolas was still following him. Finally Legolas caught up with him, and walked beside him.  
  
"I'm so sorry," Legolas said. "It's because of me that Fergufel now is march warden."  
  
Haldir stopped and gently grabbed Legolas' wrist, pulling the prince to a stop. The sentry regarded Legolas solemnly and shook his head. "I was the only one to blame, Legolas," he said. "Fergufel was right, this time; I neglected my duties and it is only fair that I am punished for that."  
  
"But I-"  
  
"No, enough." Haldir placed a finger against Legolas' soft lips. "Please, Legolas, say no more. You're only making this harder for me."  
  
"I'm sorry," Legolas murmured. He took Haldir's hand in his own and held it against his chest, right over his heart. His heart leaped into his throat and he found it hard to breathe, as he looked into Haldir's eyes. "I... I..." He flushed and stared at the ground shyly, though he did not release Haldir's hand. "Haldir, I... Your kiss... Why did you do it?" he asked softly.  
  
Haldir smiled a little. "Because I wanted to," he said.  
  
"But why? I'm just-"  
  
"Legolas, stop," Haldir chuckled. He cupped Legolas' face in both hands and brushed his thumb over Legolas' cheek. "You are without a doubt the most beautiful creature I have ever seen," he said. "There is a presence in my head, Legolas, and it's telling me to take you by force, to make you my own. I never had such violent thoughts until the Fellowship entered Lothlorien."  
  
Legolas' eyes became wide. "You too?" he whispered.  
  
Haldir nodded. "The Ring keeps telling me that I must take you, that you must be mine, otherwise I'll lose you forever. I thought that, if I made you mine before the Ring could force me to, I would not hurt you the way I did in my thoughts. When I was fighting you, however, it was the Ring that made me kiss you, because I did not have the courage to do so myself. I hope you are not frightened of me."  
  
"Oh, no!" Legolas threw his arms around Haldir's neck and buried his face against the sentry's shoulder. "I am so glad that I am not the only one who's plagued by violent visions of the future," he said, trembling. He pulled back so he could look at Haldir, finding comfort in the sentry's dark eyes. "I cannot count how many times the Ring showed me what I must do to make you my own, like you were some bauble I could take whenever I felt like it. It was horrible! Everytime I was near you I was afraid I might do something to you, that I would lose control and take the Ring from Frodo, just so I could have you. But it's allright now, is it not? If you and I feel the same for each other, then..." He blushed. "Then we can be lovers, can we not? Our problems with the Ring will be solved."  
  
"If it were that simple, but it is not." Haldir wrapped his arms around Legolas' waist and sighed deeply. "We have chosen an inappropriate moment to find each other, Legolas," he said. "It is wonderful that we can find happiness in these dark days, but I do not think it is fair if only we are happy. I have failed my Lord by neglecting to do my duty, and I cannot fail him twice. His happiness depends on his people, like my happiness depends on his. I do not feel like I deserve this happiness, not when I have made my Lord unhappy."  
  
"So what are you saying?" Legolas asked, a little angry. "Do you think we should ignore these feelings? I cannot hide it any longer, Haldir! Only a day do I pine after you like some inexperienced elfling, but already it is too much for me."  
  
"I know, Legolas, I know. I do not ask you to deny or to hide your feelings for me, I ask only for a few days' time, so I can think and consult my Lord and Lady." Haldir raised a hand and tenderly caressed Legolas' face. "Please, do this for me. You will wait if you care enough."  
  
Legolas lowered his eyes and bit his lip. "Allright," he said hesitantly. "But only because I cannot resist you. I do not like to wait."  
  
Haldir smiled mischievously. "No, you are quite the impatient little brat," he said, laughing when Legolas elbowed him in his stomach. He caught Legolas' hand and brought it to his lips. "I promise you I will tell you of my decision the minute I make it."  
  
"Very well," Legolas said. "And I want another fight with you! Fergufel told me you were holding back."  
  
Haldir chuckled. "Well, I would gladly play with you another time, Legolas." His eyes sparkled with mischief. "Perhaps next time we should play in my talan, so that, should we fall, we will land on something soft." He grinned. "Like my bed, for instance."  
  
Legolas swallowed around a suddenly dry throat. "Yes," he whispered, "we should do that."  
  
"Good." Haldir kissed the back of Legolas' hand before releasing it. "I can hardly wait," he said with a smirk. He cupped Legolas' face and kissed him passionately, slipping his tongue into the other elf's mouth. Legolas' hands clutched at Haldir's shoulders, needing the support to prevent himself from collapsing due to suddenly weak knees. With a last promising lick, Haldir pulled back and smiled at the blushing elf in front of him. "I'll see you soon, Legolas," he said softly.  
  
"Yes, soon," Legolas whispered, smiling as well.  
  
Haldir turned around and waved, before disappearing between the trees.  
  
Legolas jumped into the air and let out a whoop of joy. Several birds were startled by his cry and quickly flew away. Legolas spun around until his was dizzy, then stopped and jumped into the air again. He felt so happy he could burst from the emotion. Not even the dark whispers of the Ring could deter his enthusiasm. Oh, he _had_ to tell Aragorn what had happened!  
  
Still smiling happily, Legolas made his way to the pavilion, where the Fellowship was resting.  
  
~*~  
  
"Fergufel, will you tell me what's going on?" Elmir crossed his arms in front of his chest and glared at the sentry. "Why are we in the middle of the forest?" He gestured at the trees surrounding them. "And why are you grinning so smugly? Did someone die?"  
  
"Oh, you wound me," Fergufel said, pouting. "I would _never_ be happy if someone died. Unless that someone was a Dwarf, or a Man."  
  
"Or Haldir?"  
  
"No. I would be very sad if he died. He wouldn't have suffered enough."  
  
Elmir rolled his eyes. "Oh, honestly!" he said.  
  
Fergufel looked around them impatiently. "My dear cousin Semeriel was supposed to meet us here, but it seems he is taking his sweet time," he said angrily.  
  
"Semeriel? That quack?! Why is he supposed to meet us? Will he give us one of his infamous 'love potions'?" Elmir scoffed. He became pale when Fergufel grinned innocently. "No, Fergufel, you cannot!" he said, visibly shaken. "You know those potions do more good than evil! We cannot use it on Haldir!"  
  
"Oh, but I do not intend to use it on Haldir, my friend," Fergufel said. "Legolas is the one I'm going to use it on."  
  
"Are you mad?!" The bells in Elmir's hair jingled loudly as the healer shook his head. "Not only will Legolas' father, who is king of the Mirkwood, in case you had forgotten, have our heads on a platter for poisoning his son, Lord Celeborn will certainly banish us from Lothlorien, and the world might come to an end thanks to us! How do you think Legolas will benefit the Fellowship when all he wants is carnal pleasure?"  
  
"You obviously haven't heard of my new potion, my dear Elmir," said a voice. An elf stepped into the light, showing himself to Fergufel and Elmir. He looked almost the same as Fergufel, the only difference being their tunics. This new elf wore the tunic of the sentries that guarded the talan of Celeborn and Galadriel. Semeriel bowed mockingly and pulled a vial from his tunic. "Here is what you asked for, cousin," he said, handing the vial to Fergufel. "My new potion, success guaranteed," he added with a grin. "I have made it so strong it will work on anything but a rock."  
  
"Good, very good," Fergufel said smugly.  
  
"You disgust me!" Elmir hissed. "How can you even _think_ of doing such a thing to Legolas? It is so low to make him love you by using a potion on him!"  
  
Fergufel raised an eyebrow. "I do agree that my measures may be a bit drastic, but I have seen the way Haldir and Legolas look at each other and I would rather do things this way than sit around doing nothing and waiting for a disaster to happen. Honestly, you'd think you'd be able to do anything to prevent what we saw from happening, but you still have these awful morals of yours." He waved the vial in Elmir's face. "It's either this or what we saw, Elmir," he said. "So... shall we try this?"  
  
Elmir swallowed hard, seeing only the vial and the madness in Fergufel's eyes. He nodded slightly, knowing that he was betraying his people for the second time in one day. But there simply was no other option. Fergufel's plan was insane, but it was all they could do besides kill Legolas or Haldir - which was unacceptable. As the madness in Fergufel's eyes grew along with his enthusiasm, Elmir wondered if he and Fergufel had really seen the future. After all, with the way things were going now, not Legolas and Haldir, but Elmir and Fergufel would be the elves that ruined the world.  
  
To be continued...  
  
Author's Notes: I don't know when the next chapter will be finished, so I'm not going to promise anything. 


	4. Victims

Author: CJ )  
  
Title: For Your Eyes Only, Part IV  
  
Rating: R  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine, except for Elmîr and Fergufel.  
  
Summary: Fergufel's plans to keep Legolas and Haldir apart makes more victims than he and Elmîr had expected.  
  
Author's Notes: Damn, I just can't seem to update this story within six months! Never fear, updates should go faster from now on (notice the emphasis on the 'should') because now it's summer vacation. If you're interested in my original fics (the ones that are updated a bit more frequently) you can find the URL to my those fics on my profile page.  
  
Now, about the chapter. If Haldir's demotion made you angry, this'll probably get you pretty pissed off as well.

**For Your Eyes Only Part IV:**

"Do you suppose," Gimli asked, after taking a long drag from his pipe, "that our fathers would be proud of us if they could see us now?" They were lying on the ground beneath a giant mallorn, Gimli with his back against the tree trunk and Legolas with his head on Gimli's belly.  
  
Legolas watched Gimli's smoke rings rise in the air with curiosity. "That's poison for your lungs, you know," he said to the Dwarf. "And the trees don't like it either." As if to conform that, the leaves of the mallorn rustled loudly.  
  
"I have yet to hear one complaint," Gimli joked.  
  
"They are complaining at this very moment," Legolas said seriously, looking at the branches above them. "They say smoke and fire killed their cousins in the south, near Isengard. Your pipe and your axe frighten them. If it were not for the protection from the Lady Galadriel, I think the trees would have tried to harm you."  
  
Normally, Gimli would have laughed, but Legolas had explained to him that elves could actually understand the language of the trees. The dwarf chuckled to himself. Only Elves would have the crazy urge to learn to speak Tree.  
  
"But the answer to your other question is yes, I think," said Legolas, switching subjects like always. "Our friendship could benefit to our fathers. We can serve as an example to our people, and show them that it's possible for Elves and Dwarves to be friends. Both your father and mine love gems, but they hate each other. If they follow our example..."  
  
"... they would be friends, but still quarrel like children over whom owns the most precious gems," Gimli chuckled. "I know what stubborn old men are like, Legolas. My father, for instance, would never even think of negotiating with a fair-faced, pointy-eared Elf king."  
  
"Well, my father is very wise and he will see the benefits of an alliance with Dwarves."  
  
"I did not say my father is not wise," Gimli grumbled. "He's just a wee bit reluctant to work with Elves, that's all."  
  
"Don't you think that's a bit silly?"  
  
"'Silly', he says. You Elves are the silly ones. You talk with trees and your men look just like women. I thought you were a woman the first time I saw you."  
  
Legolas snorted. "Well, I guess that proves you really do have the eyes of a hawk," the Elf said sarcastically. "The first time I even noticed you was when I looked down at my boots to see if I had stepped in something."  
  
"I thought I had run into a tree," Gimli said. "You were skinny enough to be one."  
  
"At least I can see my toes," Legolas chuckled, poking Gimli's belly. "You, however, appear to be pregnant, my friend. And speaking of pregnant, are there Dwarf women? There were none among your party at Rivendell."  
  
Gimli tapped the ashes out of his pipe. "Of course there are Dwarf women," he grumbled. "How else did you think Dwarves were born?"  
  
"My father told me you grew from rocks."  
  
"Such a wise man your father is. But I can assure you that there are Dwarf women." He chuckled. "It's just very hard to tell them apart from Dwarf men." Legolas sat up and stared at him with a doe-eyed expression.  
  
"But how could that be?" he asked. "Ai, Elbereth, don't tell me Dwarf women have beards!" When Gimli did naught but chuckle, Legolas's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "Your women have beards?! But then how can you tell when someone is a woman? Do they have other male aspects about them as well?"  
  
"Don't be ridiculous! It's true that even we Dwarves have difficulty telling who is male and who is female. A... few friends of mine were unfortunate enough to find a partner who later turned out to be hiding, shall we say, another mighty axe underneath their clothes. But," he added quickly as Legolas burst into laughter, "this must have happened with a few Elves also. Although, from what I've seen at Rivendell, you hardly spend any time with your partners. Most Elves seem to have no partner at all!"  
  
"We probably spend a lot more time with our partners than most other species, Gimli, we just like to keep things private. We are very subtle to others about these things."  
  
"Just as subtle as you and that sentry?" Gimli asked with a grin. Legolas's shocked expression made him laugh. "Yes, my friend, I saw you and him when you were - and I quote - 'training'. I may be a Dwarf, but the Galadhrim are kind enough to let me wander the woods whenever I want to." He took a long drag from his pipe and grinned smugly at the stunned elf. "So, how long has this been going on between you and that sentry?"  
  
"Since we arrived in Lothlórien," Legolas replied without realizing it.  
  
"Ah, good, then it's not too late yet." Gimli blew a smoke ring and watched it rise with a satisfied smile.  
  
Legolas came out of his shocked silence and stared angrily at Gimli. "Not too late yet?" he asked. "What do you mean?"  
  
Gimli looked away guiltily. "You'll probably be angry when I tell you, but I disapprove of your consorting with that sentry," he said. A dark shadow crossed Legolas's face. "He's not worth the trouble, Legolas, and I'm sure he'll give you a lot of trouble."  
  
"Just because he made fun of you...."  
  
"It's not just that, Legolas. Your personalities contradict each other like water and fire; you are kind and gentle, while he is arrogant and selfish."  
  
"How can you think you know him?" Legolas hissed. "He's none of those things! All he's been trying to do is protect his people!"  
  
Gimli shook his head. Why couldn't Legolas see things his way? Haldir spelled trouble in every way. The sentry would keep Legolas's thoughts from their journey to Mount Doom, and even though every distraction was welcome, Haldir would be an unwelcome distraction. If Legolas truly was in love with Haldir and Haldir with him, the Elf Prince might want to stay with his lover. Under no circumstances could the Fellowship afford to lose Legolas, especially not so soon after Gandalf. "Listen, Legolas...."  
  
"No, you listen! Just because you're my friend doesn't mean you know what's best for me. You don't know Haldir like I do, Gimli!"  
  
"How can you know him?" Gimli snapped back, his patience lost. "You only know him for a few days! Don't act like you know everything there is to know about him!" Legolas blushed and balled his hands to fists. "We have a mission, Legolas, and we can't let our minds stray. If you and Haldir had met in another Age, I would have been happy for you. But not now, when there's so much at stake. It's not worth it, Legolas."  
  
Legolas jumped up. Anger ran through his veins like molten lava, bringing a flush to his cheeks and making it hard for him to control himself. His vision turned red and his hands clenched to fists at his sides. There was a voice in his head, whispering to him, encouraging him to hurt Gimli for daring to speak badly of Haldir. He could even see the Dwarf's corpse in front of his eyes: Gimli's eyes wide and glassy and unseeing, his blood splattered on the trunk of the tree behind him.  
  
"Enough!" Legolas hissed, banning the Ring's voice from his head. "No more, Gimli. You know not what you speak of. I don't want to hear another word from you!"  
  
Gimli looked hurt. "I'm just trying to warn you, Legolas. That sentry, either through his own fault or through the fault of others, will cause trouble for you and therefore trouble for us. Be careful around him and those close to him, that is all I ask."  
  
"Well, that's certainly not a lot for a friend to ask," Legolas said sarcastically. "Is there more you have to ask, or are you done babysitting me?"  
  
"Legolas......"  
  
"If that is all you have to say to me, then I'm leaving!" Legolas turned around and walked away with less grace and dignity than Gimli had ever seen.  
  
The Dwarf sighed sadly and shook his head. "That poor lad......" He turned to the person appearing between the trees, stood up and bowed. "I'm sorry, my Lady," he said. "I have failed you, for I could not convince him."  
  
Galadriel looked thoughtfully in the direction Legolas had disappeared in. "It was not a failure on your part, Gimli," she said gently. "Nor was it a failure on Legolas's part. He is in love, and that makes blind, so he cannot see reason. Try and talk to him again later."  
  
She frowned, her eyes glazing over for a moment. Then they became clear again and she looked at Gimli with worry. "Would you follow him for me, Gimli? I have a feeling evil is drawn to him. It would ease my conscience to know he is being watched over closely."  
  
Gimli's chest puffed out. "It would be my honor, my Lady," he said proudly. He bowed again, then scurried away.  
  
Galadriel watched him leave with a sad smile. "Can he be saved?" she asked no one in particular. "Are we doing the right thing? To save ourselves we must hurt Legolas, but the saying 'kill one to save a hundred' does not always count. Haldir will survive the pain, but will Legolas?"  
  
Dew drops fell down from the leaves like tears, as the trees shook their branches negative.

**. . .**

Legolas was furious. Who did Gimli think he was, meddling in other people's affairs like that? Just because they had become friends in the past few days did not mean Gimli knew precisely what was good for Legolas. Not only was he giving bad advice about things that did not concern him, he had also been snooping around in Legolas's private business; how else would he knew about Legolas being in love with Haldir? Yes, there had been that 'training session' and the kiss, but a kiss was just a kiss, it had been a stolen kiss to boot and the word 'love' was never mentioned.  
  
The young prince sighed and kicked at the ground. He wished his father were here; he'd know what to do. But then again, it was also a good thing Thranduil could not see his son right now; the Elven King probably wouldn't approve of Haldir, especially since he had been demoted.  
  
"If Father doesn't agree, we'll elope!" Legolas said resolutely.  
  
"How sweet," a voice mocked. Legolas immediately knew who it was, so he did not turn around and kept on walking. For once, Fergufel did not mind being ignored; now Legolas did not see the wet rag in the snake like sentry's hand. Fergufel approached the annoyed prince carefully, his heart thumping in his throat from the excitement.  
  
Legolas shivered as he was suddenly overcome with a sense of foreboding. His ears perked up at the sound of two quick footsteps. He made to turn around, but exactly at that moment a body slammed into him and he pitched forward. An arm was wrapped around his waist, lifting him off the ground and trapping his arms against his sides. Legolas kicked and struggled and opened his mouth to shout out indignantly, but then a hand pressed a wet rag over his nose and mouth and he instinctively drew in a sharp breath.  
  
Fire entered his lungs, spreading quickly through the rest of his body. Legolas's eyelashes fluttered, as he struggled against the sudden weariness that threatened to overwhelm him. His world was filled with bright colors, yet lacked any sound. He felt the body of his captor behind him, and with a last surge of strength he rammed his elbow into his captor's ribs.  
  
Fergufel groaned and stumbled backwards, only to have Legolas punch him in his face, splitting his lip. The sentry immediately straightened himself and prepared for another blow, but that was unnecessary. Legolas swayed on his feet, the "Love Potion" finally taking over his body. His sight had gone blurry and he was beginning to sweat.  
  
"W-what did you do to me?" he panted.  
  
Fergufel smirked. "Nothing you won't enjoy," he purred. He watched, feeling smug, as Legolas sank to his knees, his mind still struggling against the drug, while his body had already given up the fight. Heated thoughts entered Fergufel's mind at the sight of the young prince of Mirkwood on his knees in front of him. Fergufel's eyes narrowed and focused on Legolas's lips, which were full and pouting and absolutely succulent.  
  
Legolas groaned when a warm, throbbing sensation began to spread through his loins. His hands had a mind of their own as they went between his legs and made the situation worse. He had never been so embarrassed in his life!  
  
"Hmmm, now this is a nice sight," Fergufel purred.  
  
"Ma...... make it stop," Legolas panted. His face was flushed and strands of hair were sticking to it. "It's...... I'm burning......"  
  
"Oh, you poor thing!" Fergufel was grinning maniacally as he approached Legolas, who cowered, curling into a ball and trembling. "I cannot bear to see you in such pain," the sentry said sweetly. "Please, allow me to solve this problem for you."  
  
"N-no!" Legolas whimpered when Fergufel pulled him to his feet by his hair. "Let...... go of me!" He balled his hands to fists and tried to punch Fergufel against his chest, but all he managed was a weak push. Frustrated by his own weakness, he tried to kick the sentry against his shins, but his efforts only amused Fergufel. Meanwhile, Legolas's body became more and more heated, to the point where he thought that was how a Balrog must feel.  
  
"Stop fighting; it's futile," Fergufel said, before crushing his lips against Legolas's hard enough to bruise. Knowing that he was going to ravish the youngest prince of Mirkwood made him so excited he couldn't control himself, and Legolas's furious struggles only added more fuel to the fire. It had always been a secret fantasy of Fergufel to take someone of royal blood - willing or unwilling - and now that fantasy was about to become reality. Briefly he wondered if Lady Galadriel had seen this in her mirror, but then he dismissed that thought; he had more important things to worry about.  
  
Something inside of Legolas snapped when the first moan escaped his lips. The sound was muffled by Fergufel's tongue, which was doing its best trying to bury itself in Legolas's throat, but to Legolas the sound was as loud as that of a scream. He was suddenly weary of fighting; what was the use of fighting when he was obviously enjoying what Fergufel was doing to him? He was ashamed of the arousal that strained his leggings, and ashamed of moaning like a harlot whenever Fergufel touched him. He gasped for air, feeling lightheaded, when Fergufel's lips left his own.  
  
Fergufel kissed away Legolas's tears of shame with mock tenderness. "Don't fight your body's needs, Legolas," he said, nipping at the tip of the other elf's ear. "Your body knows what's good for you."  
  
"Liar! I hate you!" Legolas sobbed, unconsciously leaning into Fergufel's touch.  
  
"Hatred has nothing to do with purely physical contact," Fergufel whispered huskily. He placed his hands on Legolas's shoulders and pushed the prince to the ground. Due to the drug he'd been given, Legolas had no more chances at putting up a fight; by now the drug had completely taken over his body and made him ache to be touched.  
  
'I wonder what Haldir would think if he saw me like this,' Fergufel thought gleefully, as he straddled Legolas's bucking hips. 'Mayhap I should invite him next time I take Legolas like this.' His fingers found the tiny clasps of Legolas's silver tunic and undid them one by one, slowly revealing Legolas's smooth, creamy chest. Fergufel's mouth began to water. Oh, there would certainly be a next time; there was simply too much of Legolas to taste all at once.  
  
"What do you want me to do, Legolas?" he asked as he stroked Legolas's chest.  
  
"I want...... I want......" Legolas threw his head from side to side, his hair, which had come partially undone, framing his head like a lion's mane. He had just formed a, barely coherent, answer and was about to voice it, when Fergufel tweaked a nipple. The scream that was torn from Legolas's throat was, to Fergufel's amazement, not a scream of pleasure, but one of pain.  
  
Startled, Fergufel slapped a hand over Legolas's mouth, cutting off half the scream. He saw that the tears in Legolas's eyes were tears of pain this time, and he wondered if his dear cousin hadn't accidentally made the new version of his Love Potion a tad too strong. He shrugged. Just the same; it hardly mattered if Legolas enjoyed it physically, as long as the Love Potion did its job and warped Legolas's mind into believing he was in love with Fergufel.  
  
"Shhh, be still," Fergufel whispered, when Legolas began to sob softly. The sentry pushed the prince's legs apart and settled between them, pressing his crotch against Legolas's. Legolas yelped and tried to close his legs, but Fergufel forcibly held them apart, keeping Legolas spread beneath him like a low class whore. Fergufel knew that the shame made Legolas cry even harder.  
  
The evidence of Legolas's arousal, despite his pain and shame, was tenting his leggings. "Oh you poor thing," Fergufel snickered. "Let me ease this ache for you." He pulled Legolas's leggings off the slim hips, his eyes growing wide at what was revealed. "Oh, you are far too beautiful for your own good," he whispered. "Such beauty simply begs to be tainted." And taint it I shall, he thought, and bent over to lick at a nipple.  
  
It was only the fast reflex as a result of years of training as a sentry, that saved him from being decapitated. The Dwarf axe sliced through the air precisely where Fergufel's head had been a mere second ago. There was no doubt about it: the blow had been mean to kill. Fergufel placed his hands flat on the ground, ready to push himself up and surprise his attacker, when he was roughly grabbed by the back of his neck and thrown off of Legolas.  
  
"Get off him, you filthy swine!" Gimli kept an eye on Fergufel, who was sprawled on the forest floor, as he knelt next to Legolas. "Are you all right, lad?" the Dwarf asked with a worried expression, and gently touched Legolas's shoulder. He jumped up with fright when Legolas cried out in pain at the touch and curled into a protective ball.  
  
"Legolas? Legolas, are you all right?!" The only answer was a sound between a moan and a sob. Gimli raised his eyes to Fergufel, who had gotten up and was now looking at him expectantly. "You! What have you done to him?" the Dwarf growled. When Fergufel made a rude gesture at him, Gimli's temper snapped and he lunged at the sentry with a war cry.  
  
Fergufel reached for his sword immediately, but Gimli was faster than he had expected. As the sentry raised his sword, the Dwarf brought down his axe. The two weapons clashed, there was the sound of metal striking metal, then Fergufel felt a bone in his left arm break and his sword fell from his hands. "Stop! I'm unarmed!" the sentry said to Gimli, as he clutched his broken arm and stumbled backwards.  
  
"That didn't seem to bother you when it was Legolas who was unarmed," Gimli grumbled. Fergufel saw murder in the Dwarf's eyes and felt an, almost erotic, shiver go down his back. Pain and death always excited him, even when it came in the form of an unattractive creature like a Dwarf. His broken arm was throbbing, as was the organ between his legs.  
  
Gimli cast a worried look at Legolas, when his blond friend whimpered his name. "Legolas? What's the matter with you, lad?"  
  
Legolas sent him a pleading look. "I'm...... Please, get Haldir."  
  
"In a minute, lad," Gimli said, sending Legolas a reassuring smile when the elf began to sob. "Don't worry, lad, everything will be all right soon, I promise you that." He glared at Fergufel, who by now was grinning like a madman. "First, I have to get rid of this rat."  
  
Legolas tried to grab Gimli's boot to stop him, but every movement he made hurt so much he automatically curled into a protective ball. "G-gimli...... Do- don't! The...... the other sentries!" He tried to warn his friend, but Gimli was so consumed with anger and protectiveness that he did not hear Legolas's words.  
  
"Come and get me, Dwarf!" Fergufel hissed.  
  
Gimli's eyebrow twitched. "Oh, I certainly will," he growled, gripping his axe tightly. He and Fergufel held a staring contest for a few seconds and saw the mad anger in each other's eyes. Then Fergufel blinked. Gimli roared and lunged at the sentry, swinging his axe high above his head.  
  
Fergufel cursed when he realized he couldn't fight back with only one good arm; he didn't want to die without a good fight. 'It must be my punishment', he thought, closing his eyes and resigning to his fate. He heard the 'swoosh' as Gimli's axe came down, heading for his neck, no doubt.  
  
Legolas cried out to Gimli, but it was already too late. One Elven arrow buried itself in Gimli's shoulder, as another pierced his arm. The Dwarf roared in pain and dropped the axe - a mere inch from Fergufel's feet.  
  
Fergufel had a hard time trying to look like he felt relieved; in fact, he was nearly bursting with laughter. How convenient that his fellow sentries just happened to have heard Legolas's screaming and rushed to help him, only to find one of their own being attacked by the Dwarf - whom they all hated. It was all perfect for his little scheme! Now he could claim it had been he who had been screaming because of what Gimli was trying to do to him and he had his broken arm as 'proof'.  
  
"Legolas!" As the other sentries surrounded Gimli and kept their arrows pointed at him just like the very first day the Fellowship had entered Lothlórien - though this time they were commanded by Orophin and not by Haldir - Rúmil rushed to Legolas, who was writhing in pain on the ground. With a blush the sentry noticed and wondered about the prince's aroused state. "Um...... Legolas?" Legolas only whimpered and snuggled closer to the ground, as if he wished to bury himself. "Here, let me help you up," Rúmil said, grabbing Legolas's arm. As soon as their skins touched, Legolas let out a shout and fainted.  
  
"Rúmil!" Orophin called out to his little brother. "What's happening to him? What have you done?"  
  
"I did nothing!" Rúmil said, slightly defensively. "All I did was touch his arm!"  
  
Orophin looked back at Gimli, who was trying not to show his pain. How Orophin despised Dwarves, those foolish creatures who were too stubborn for their own good and who cared nothing about any but their own species. Orophin had been surprised to hear that Dwarves actually involved themselves in the war this time; in the First War of the Ring, the Dwarves had been too thick-headed to see the threat Sauron was to them, and they had refused to help fight against the evil forces.  
  
"By all means, I should kill you!" Orophin spat at the smaller creature. "How dare you, who call yourself an Elf friend, attack one of us in Lothlórien of all places! Do you have any explanation, an excuse?"  
  
Gimli's eyes went to Legolas, but the sentries surrounding him blocked his view of his golden-haired friend. The Dwarf looked back at Orophin and snorted. "You can kill me if that pleases you, Master Elf," he said contemptuously. "But I'll have you know I was only trying to save a friend from being raped."  
  
Orophin's eyes widened and flickered in Legolas's direction. "Raped?" he said, raising an eyebrow. "Rape, 'Master Dwarf', means that one of the involved parties is unwilling. Legolas was not."  
  
"How would you know? You weren't there to protect him!" Gimli snarled. "Blasted Elves, always boasting about how great you are, but when it comes down to it you're nothing but yellow-bellied cowards who can't even protect one of their own!" He looked around at all the Elves surrounding him, searching for some understanding. "If you really think that Legolas would...... would consort with the likes of him," he jabbed a finger at Fergufel, "then there is something wrong in those pretty blond heads of yours!"  
  
"Did you try to kill Fergufel because of that?" Orophin asked quietly.  
  
"Aye, I did! And if it hadn't been for you overlzealous, pathetic excuses for sentries, his head would be rolling now!"  
  
"That's enough!" Orophin said, and Gimli grew quiet. It wasn't often that Haldir's taciturn brother lost his temper, and when he did everyone made sure to steer clear of him. Orophin's eyes bored into Gimli's, daring the Dwarf to say another word. He had heard the difficulty with which Gimli had said 'consort' as if it were the most despicable thing on the planet, and that had made Orophin hate the Dwarf even more. He had heard that the Dwarves didn't accept love between two men, but he had thought no one - except maybe Orcs - could be so stupid to deny something so natural. Now he was being proven wrong. The sentry spoke slowly, and calmly, but his words belied his inner turmoil. "Gimli, son of Gloin, you are hereby charged with attempt at murdering a sentry of Lothlórien. You will be brought before Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel and it is up to them to decide your fate. Do you understand?" Gimli nodded slowly. "Tie him up."  
  
The arrows were pulled out without much gentleness, the Dwarf's yelps of pain were ignored. Usually the Elves were kind even to their prisoners, but this prisoner was handled without delicacy.  
  
Rúmil carried Legolas to the House of Healing, as Gimli was brought to the Lord and Lady. With the evidence against him, the judgement was already clear: he would be put to death. Fergufel walked beside the Dwarf, wanting to be there when the Dwarf would be sentenced to death, wanting to taste his enemy's fear. Wanting to know he had won.

**. . .**

His father had always said: "My son, anyone can succumb to depression and indulge in self-loathing; it is the easiest thing to do when things are not going the way you want them to go. A very strong person, however, will not linger on the negative things but look beyond. I want you to be strong, my son. When the rain is pouring down so hard you can't see your hand in front of your eyes, I want you to see the sun."  
  
Haldir had always tried to listen to his father and keep thinking positively. Now, however, the rain was pouring down and he couldn't see the sun anywhere. He could still hear every one of Celeborn's words echoing in his mind and even though it had been hours since he had actually heard them, they still stung just as badly.  
  
How could Celeborn even consider making Fergufel march warden?! Surely the Lord of the Golden Wood realized what a danger Fergufel was to his people and that he was the least trustworthy person on this side of Middle-Earth. Haldir sighed and contemplated what to do next. Celeborn was wise, he knew what he was doing. It was not Haldir's place to doubt his Lord. He'd better listen and do as Celeborn had said: help where it was necessary, anywhere but near the sentries.  
  
The former march warden grunted. There wasn't much besides fighting he was good at; he'd been training to be a sentry his entire life and he'd never even had time for a hobby. He was rusted to his job as a sentry. Perhaps Rúmil had been right; perhaps he really was getting old.  
  
"Haaaaaaaaallllllddiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrr!!!!"  
  
And speak of the devil......  
  
With his lips curved into the warm smile he only graced the ones he loved with, he turned around to greet Rúmil. "Ah, little brother, I was just thinking about you," he started to say. The words, however, died on his lips, when he saw Rúmil's anxious look. Immediately the smile was gone and Haldir was once again all seriousness. "Rúmil, what's wrong?" he asked.  
  
Rúmil stopped in front of him and leaned over with his hands braced on his knees, as he tried to catch his breath. He had come all the way from the House of Healing to find his elder brother, as soon as Elmîr had told him to. Valar, he was getting out of shape; when he was younger he used to run through the entire Golden Wood - with his parents and brothers and half the elven community trying to catch him and put his clothes back on - without running out of breath.  
  
As soon as his breathing had slowed down, he straightened up - and winced when he saw Haldir's impatient look. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting, brother," he said, "but my words wouldn't make any sense to you if I were panting like a boar." His expression became sad. "Elmîr sent me to fetch you; you are needed immediately at the House of Healing." He paused a moment to swallow hard. "Please wait patiently while I finish my story, even though you will want to run away after the first few words."  
  
"Rúmil," Haldir growled in warning.  
  
"I know, I know! It's just that I know how much you care for Legolas and that you want to protec - "  
  
"Something happened to Legolas?!"  
  
"Haldir, wait! I said, wait!" Rúmil grabbed both his brother's arms and pulled hard. "You haven't heard the rest of the story yet! You must hear the rest of the story!"  
  
Haldir stopped trying to escape from Rúmil's grasp - the imp was quite strong, despite his scrawny appearance - and looked back over his shoulder. "Then tell me what there is to tell, but hurry!"  
  
"Yes, well, I don't know everything that happened - "  
  
"Rúmil!"  
  
"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying! We were out patrolling - Fergufel already failed on his first day as a march warden by not showing up - when we heard screams. When we arrived at the scene, Legolas was writhing in pain on the ground and that Dwarf, Gimli, was about to decapitate Fergufel." Haldir's eyes became wide. "Orophin was nearly steaming with anger! He asked Gimli why he was trying to kill Fergufel and the Dwarf said that he was trying to prevent Fergufel from raping Legolas, but Legolas......" His mouth snapped shut before he could blurt out the last few words.  
  
Haldir took a step closer. "But Legolas what, Rúmil?" he asked. "Tell me!"  
  
"Legolas wasn't about to be raped," Rúmil said in a small voice, hating having to be the one to tell Haldir this. He had seen how fond his brother and Legolas had been of each other, and he still couldn't believe Legolas had been willing to 'consort', as Gimli had put it, with the likes of Fergufel. "He was aroused, brother. He fainted when I touched him."  
  
"He was...... aroused?" Haldir asked slowly. "A few minutes ago you said you found him lying on the ground writhing in pain!"  
  
"But we did find him lying on the ground writhing in pain! But he was also aroused! I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, brother, but it seems that Legolas was enjoying...... whatever Fergufel was doing to him before we arrived."  
  
Haldir looked away, unable to face his younger brother's pity. It was hard for him to keep the emotions that were swirling inside of him from showing on his face. He could not believe that Legolas would want to be Fergufel's lover. What about the things they had said to each other, did those words mean nothing to Legolas? Could it be that he had not wanted to wait for Haldir to make a decision, after all? Or did he simply take after his father, who was notorious for his polygamy in his younger years? But why on earth Fergufel?!  
  
"Haldir, are you alright?" Rúmil asked carefully.  
  
"I'm fine." There was no emotion in Haldir's voice, nor was there any in his eyes. He looked the way he did for a few hours after he had killed a living creature. "You said that he fainted when you touched him?" he asked, not really seeing Rúmil.  
  
Rúmil nodded. "That's why you have to come to the House of Healing," he said. "Legolas nearly screams in pain whenever someone touches him. Even Elmîr is at a loss of what to do. When I left, Legolas had begun to beg for us to stay away from him. I saw hysteria in his eyes, brother - and...... he was still aroused."  
  
"And why does Elmîr want me to come to the House of Healing?" Haldir asked.  
  
Rúmil blinked, surprised. "Well, err, he thought you would be anxious to know what had happened to Legolas, and he was hoping your presence would calm Legolas somewhat." He cocked his head. "Will you not see him?" He could tell nothing from Haldir's eyes, but he knew that inside Haldir's head, anger and concern were battling for victory. Concern won, though Haldir tried to hide it.  
  
"Very well, I'll come," Haldir said silently.  
  
"Brother," Rúmil said softly, "if it makes you feel any better, I don't believe Legolas would want Fergufel to touch him so intimately; I've seen hatred in his eyes when he was around Fergufel. You know Fergufel can hypnotize people like a snake as well as I do. Could it not be that he has done something to manipulate Legolas? He may have even manipulated Gimli!!"  
  
"Why, little brother, would he try to manipulate Gimli into killing him?" Haldir asked coldly. Without waiting for an answer, he turned around and strode away. Rúmil started, then followed him quickly. For every step Haldir took, Rúmil had to take three to keep up with him.  
  
"Well, I, err," Rúmil said.  
  
"I know that Fergufel's mind does not work the way it should," Haldir said, "but to think that Fergufel is insane enough to let himself be killed is madness in itself. What would he gain by dying? No, let me rephrase that. What would he gain, in this world, by dying?"  
  
They arrived at the trees that held the House of Healing, and made their way up the winding stairs. Haldir took the stairs four steps at a time, while Rúmil, who had shorter legs and was out of breath from their walk through the forest, could only take two at a time.  
  
"But brother!" Rúmil panted. "Everyone could see that Legolas was absolutely smitten with you! Why would he suddenly turn to Fergufel, of all people?!"  
  
"People change, Rúmil," Haldir said. "Especially royalty." The dark look on his face scared away a few female apprentices, but Haldir hardly saw them. His eyes were fixed on the bed in the far corner of the room, on which a figure lay curled up in itself, wailing in agony. Elmîr was standing beside the bed, his hands clasped nervously in front of his stomach and a look of utter confusion on his face. When he heard the sound of footsteps he looked up and saw Haldir and Rúmil.  
  
"Haldir! Thank the Valar!" the healer cried. His expression of utter relief withered when he saw the look Haldir threw him, and he cowered in fear. For a moment he thought that Haldir knew he was part of the plot to drive him and Legolas apart. Cold sweat broke out across his skin and shivers ran up and down his spine. If Haldir knew, that would be terrible! Elmîr knew the former march warden wouldn't hesitate to take revenge in the most horrible of ways - and Haldir would never let him speak to Rúmil again!! "Oh, Valar," he said with a quivering voice.  
  
His relief was so great his knees nearly collapsed, when Haldir stalked past him without casting him another look. Elmîr rested his hands on the bed for support, feeling sick to his stomach, as Haldir stopped on the other side of the bed and looked down at the elf moaning in agony.  
  
Legolas's face was red, he was sweating profusively and panting heavily. The braid that held his hair back had become partially undone. His hair was wild as a lion's mane, a few strands sticking to his face, and gave him a very dishevelled appearance. Haldir wished he could believe Legolas was simply suffering from fever, but that thought was ruined by the bulge beneath the heavy white blanket Legolas was covered with. Legolas's tunic was open and Haldir saw a few bite marks on the prince's smooth chest.  
  
The former sentry's hands clenched to fists at his sides and he had to remind himself that it was not wise to cause more trouble, to prevent himself from storming out of the House of Healing and strangling Fergufel. 'Calm, Haldir,' he said to himself. 'You don't know what happened between Fergufel and Legolas, it is not wise to act upon Rúmil's vague story.'  
  
More anger welled up in him when Legolas moaned, half in pain, half in pleasure. The Mirkwood Prince grit his teeth and rolled onto his side, away from Haldir, his hands between his legs beneath the blanket. He was in such a bad shape that it hurt when Haldir or someone else so much as looked at him. His heart had become black with hatred for the one who was responsible for his humiliation and pain. "Fergufel," Legolas growled, fingers digging into his thighs.  
  
Elmîr and Rúmil winced in sympathy when they saw the pained look on Haldir's face at hearing his rival's name from Legolas's lips. After letting that emotion slip, Haldir's face quickly became impassive. He looked up at Elmîr, who become pale and quickly took a step back. To the healer it was almost as if Haldir's eyes were accusing. But it was impossible that Haldir knew of his involvement. Unless Fergufel had told him. Once again cold sweat broke out across Elmîr's body and his heart leaped into his throat, making it difficult for him to swallow.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" Haldir asked coldly.  
  
Elmîr jumped. "I-I don't know," he said in a small voice. "I've never seen these symptoms before." That was in itself not a lie; he really had not seen symptoms like those before. He knew what the symptoms of Semeriel's former Love Potion were, but Legolas's symptoms were completely different from those. Elmîr still couldn't quite grasp why Legolas was in pain; him suffering because of Fergufel would hardly make him fall in love with Fergufel. It went beyond his logic, but then, he knew he couldn't expect things like logic from Fergufel or Semeriel.  
  
Rúmil cast a worried look at the elf on the bed. "Will he be alright?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know, Rúmil," Elmîr said softly. He looked at Haldir, who was staring at Legolas with a thoughtful frown on his face. 'Please, Valar,' Elmîr thought, 'whatever happens, don't let Haldir find out what my part in this affair is.' He had calmed down a little, but he was still frightened.  
  
"My Lord!" Elmîr looked up when he heard Rúmil's startled gasp. Celeborn was standing in the doorway, flanked by Fergufel and Orophin. Fergufel was gingerly holding his broken arm close to his body, but despite the pain he had to be in, he looked very cheerfully. Celeborn and Orophin, on the other hand, looked as though they would kill anyone who so much as blinked in a way that displeased them.  
  
Celeborn walked into the room with angry steps. He stopped in front of Legolas's bed and winced when he saw Legolas's pained expression. His look softened and his heart went out to the younger elf. "Legolas, can you hear me?" he asked softly, placing his hand on Legolas's shoulder.  
  
"No, don't!" Elmîr grabbed his Lord's hand and pulled it off Legolas's shoulder, as Legolas whimpered and tried to bury himself in the bedsheets. "You shouldn't touch him, my Lord," Elmîr said apologetically, as Celeborn glared at him for being so rude. "I do not know why, but every touch hurts him."  
  
"It is probably a trauma, from what that Dwarf tried to do to me." All of them looked at Fergufel as if he had intruded upon an intimate act, but the snake-sentry took no notice of it. He moved to stand next to Celeborn and raised a hand to place on Legolas's cheek.  
  
"Don't - " Haldir, Celeborn and Elmîr began, but their words of protest died on their lips as, to their great astonishment, Fergufel brushed his fingers over Legolas's forehead - and Legolas did not moan in pain.  
  
Legolas gasped and leaned into the cool touch of Fergufel's fingers, longing for a touch without pain. He was so desperate to touch someone without wailing in agony, that he did not mind that it was Fergufel who was touching him. He rolled his eyes towards the sentry's face. Fergufel was grinning from ear to ear, making Legolas wonder what evil he was up to now. But it didn't matter that much, as long as Fergufel kept stroking the sensitive skin behind his ear. He sighed deeply.  
  
"Oh yes, my lovely one," Fergufel purred. "That feels much better, doesn't it, my beautiful Legolas?" He was aware of the curious stares boring into the back of his head and he delighted in being the centre of attention. The smile on his face grew wicke as he straightened and faced Celeborn. "My Lord," he said, "do you see the damage that Dwarf has done to Legolas?"  
  
Orophin spoke up before Celeborn could do so. "I do agree that a traumatic experience can leave a dark mark on the mind, we have all seen it with warriors who have fought too many battles. But I have neveer heard of someone experiencing pain from a simple touch. And," he added when Fergufel opened his mouth to speak, "I find it unbelievable that somehow, one person's touch is not painful." His eyes locked with Fergufel's and searched for an answer, but the other sentry looked away before he could find any.  
  
There was another moan from Legolas, this time because Fergufel was caressing his neck.  
  
Celeborn's eyes shifted from Fergufel to Legolas to Haldir and back to the first, his mind racing to keep up with recent events. Indeed, this was one of Lothlórien's most troubled times; the threat from Mordor, the invasion of the Orcs from Moria, and now this ordeal with Legolas. 'What to do?' Celeborn thought. 'I have a member of the Fellowship who is being accused of attempting to murder one of my sentries. On top of that, the accused is a Dwarf, which means that if I have him put to death, which would be completely normal in a case like this, I will probably start another war with the Dwarves - which is not a wise thing to do in a time when alliances are needed desperately. And to make matters worse, I now have a wounded elfling on my hands, who just happens to be the youngest prince of Mirkwood, and our relationship with Mirkwood is as fragile as the one with the Dwarves.' He groaned inwardly. 'Thranduil will never let me hear the end of it.'  
  
Elmîr felt nervous because of the silence that stretched between them and because of Orophin's comment. Haldir's brother was much smarter and more observant than he let people believe. The Master Healer swallowed hard, wanting nothing more than to flee from the room. But that would only make him suspicious, so he stayed where he was. He watched silently as Fergufel turned back to Legolas and ran his fingers over the prince's lips, murmuring sweet words in his ear. Legolas closed his eyes and sighed Fergufel's name. Elmîr saw Haldir's shoulders stiffen even more and felt incredibly sick with guilt.  
  
"What will happen to the Dwarf?" Haldir asked in an emotionless voice. Though the sight disgusted him, he couldn't keep his eyes off Fergufel and Legolas.  
  
Celeborn sighed. "I don't know, Haldir," he said wearily. "First I must hear all the witnesses, including Legolas, unless the Dwarf confesses to his crime. Then I must consult with Aragorn, since he is now responsible for the actions of the members of the Fellowship." His look became hesitant. "And sooner or later I shall have to inform King Thranduil." Now that was something he was anything but looking forward to. "But I think that I can already say that the Dwarf's head will roll."  
  
Legolas's eyes shot open and he shook his head wildly. His moan of protest was muffled when Fergufel pushed two fingers into his mouth and trapped his tongue between them. The warning in the sentry's eyes was clear: speak and I will rip out your tongue. To make sure Legolas understood the warning, Fergufel pulled on his tongue none too gently. Tears sprung into Legolas's eyes and he moaned softly. He tasted the coppery flavor of blood in his mouth and he clutched weakly at Fergufel's hand.  
  
"I think I shall go now," Celeborn said. He had his back turned towards Legolas and therefore could not see what Fergufel was doing. "I must send a message to Thranduil. Rúmil, Orophin, fetch Aragorn and then come to the meeting-room. Haldir, go... somewhere." Celeborn saw Haldir wince and felt sorry for him, but at the moment he had more important things on his mind. "Fergufel, have Elmîr take a look at your arm." With that, the Lord of Lothlórien turned around and stalked out of the room.  
  
Rúmil and Orophin cast worried looks at Haldir and then at Legolas, before hurrying out of the House of Healing.  
  
Haldir made no move to leave.  
  
"Come," Elmîr said, taking Fergufel's good arm. "Let me take..." He stopped and stared with wide eyes at the fingers in Legolas's mouth and the thin stream of blood running down his chin. "Fergufel?" His voice became unsteady. "What are you doing?"  
  
Fergufel pulled his fingers from Legolas's mouth and licked the blood and saliva off the digits, moaning his approval as his tongue lapped up the juices. He smirked when he saw Elmîr's look of disgust and winked at the healer, before leaning over Legolas to purr in the prince's ear.  
  
Despite his body's longing for Fergufel's touch, Legolas scrambled to get as far away from the snake-sentry as possible. However, his pitiful attempts to escape were stopped when Fergufel wrapped an arm around his waist and pulled him back. "No, let go of me," Legolas said. Fergufel grinned at him and ran his wet fingers over the tip of Legolas's ear, one of the most sensitive areas on an elfin body. Legolas groaned and leaned into the touch, even though a voice in his head screamed at him, "Stop it, you whore! You're not supposed to enjoy his touch; this is not the one you love! Have you no shame, doing this in front of poor Haldir?!" His eyes shot open. Haldir!  
  
The former march warden was staring at him over Fergufel's shoulder. Emotions like betrayal and disappointment could easily be read from his dark gaze. Legolas felt utterly horrible for allowing himself to enjoy Fergufel's touch, while Haldir was forced to watch. He reached out for Haldir, his eyes pleading for his forgiveness and understanding. "Haldir..." Legolas whispered brokenly. Tears sprung to his eyes when Fergufel pinched the tip of his ear hard enough to draw blood. Legolas looked up at the sentry and hated him with such a passion, that it made his face hot. Fergufel cared naught for him; all he wanted was to humiliate Haldir by taking the elf he loved, regardless of what emotional damage that could do. No, that wasn't true, it did matter how much emotional damage he made; the more, the better. "I hate you," Legolas whispered, tears streaming down his face.  
  
"Do not blame me; all is fair in love and war," Fergufel purred, smiling wickedly. He leaned over a bit more, so that now his lips rested against Legolas's ear. He took great delight in the shudder that went through Legolas's body when their skin touched. To Legolas's humiliation, he became erect again. Fergufel smirked against his ear. "Such a delightful little scheme, my love," he whispered, loud enough for Haldir to hear.  
  
Haldir's eyes widened. This was all just an act? There was nothing wrong with Legolas?  
  
Legolas wanted to cry out, to tell Haldir that this was all just another one of Fergufel's lies, but before he could do so Fergufel kissed him silent, plunging his tongue deep into Legolas's mouth. The smirk never left the sentry's face as he pulled back and looked down at Legolas's flushed face. "Haldir doesn't suspect a thing, my lovely little snake," the sentry continued. "All you have to do is keep up this act for a little longer, so that he will be completely smitten with you when you break his heart. He will never recover from it, and then you and I will have the revenge we've been waiting for!"  
  
"This... was all part of your... scheme...?" Haldir said slowly.  
  
Before Legolas could answer, Fergufel pushed his hand underneath the blanket and began to stroke Legolas through his leggings. Legolas moaned loudly and threw his head back against the pillow, his hips pushing against Fergufel's hand on their own accord. Fergufel turned around to face Haldir, his face the perfect image of shock but his eyes sparkling with mirth. "Oops, you weren't supposed to hear that," he lied smoothly.  
  
Haldir threw him a withering look.  
  
Fergufel shrugged. "Since you now know, could you please leave?" He began to stroke Legolas faster and grinned wickedly when Legolas's loud cries visibly hurt Haldir. "My lover and I would like to be alone for a while. It has been a very tiring day for us, you know."  
  
For a moment Haldir couldn't believe what he was hearing, couldn't believe that Legolas would betray him so. Fergufel seemed to have read his mind, for he said, "What? You think that Legolas is an innocent little prince who wouldn't hurt a fly? He's a Mirkwood elf, you idiot! Mirkwood elves have neither shame, nor compassion." His grin became even wider. "They're fun in bed, though!"  
  
"Enough!!" Haldir bellowed, before turning around and walking away with as much dignity as he could muster.  
  
"Haldir, wait!" Elmîr called after him, but the former march warden had already left the room. The master healer bit his lip, shame and guilt a heavy weight on his chest and a voice in his head calling, 'What would Rúmil say if he knew of your part in this?!' He swallowed hard and looked at his fellow conspirator. Fergufel had his tongue deep in Legolas's throat and the hand between Legolas's legs was moving rapidly. Legolas was now struggling, even though he was enjoying what Fergufel was doing to him, but he was still too weak to do more than push futilely against Fergufel's chest. If anything, his weak struggles excited Fergufel even more.  
  
Elmîr stared at his feet in shame. He heard the sound of the blanket being pushed aside and leggings being pushed down legs. Legolas's moans of protest became louder and more desperate. 'What would Rúmil say?' Tears of shame ran down Elmîr's cheeks.  
  
And yet, he made no move to stop Fergufel.

**. . .**

Never again, never again. Haldir could barely keep the pain from showing on his face, as he all but ran down the stairs of the House of Healing. This had been the third time he had been betrayed by a lover because of Fergufel and three times was enough. Legolas's betrayal stung more than the other two had and it was a warning that he was getting weak. Well, he would never give anyone the opportunity to betray him again, even if that meant becoming cold-hearted.  
  
Legolas had destroyed trust and Haldir never wanted to be so vulnerable again. From now on he would keep his thoughts to his duties. He would not care for anyone else but his brothers and his Lord and Lady. He would stop caring for Legolas.  
  
He would never even admit to himself that he fled the House of Healing, as the first of Legolas's wails of pleasure rang through the air.

To be continued...

Author's Notes: Who wants to have dinner with Fergufel as the main dish? I know I do. That little bitch!  
  
Well, this chapter certainly feels like it's shorter than the other ones, but that could just be me. Sorry for taking so long (again!!). If everything goes the way I want it to, there will be a lemon in the next chapter or in the chapter after that. But between which two characters the lemon will be, I won't tell you yet. D MUHAHAHAHAHA!!


End file.
